Naruto: The Forsaken One
by AceJaegar2210
Summary: Naruto is the eldest of four children. His triplet siblings have the power of the Nine Tails, but when Naruto is sick of being neglected, he meets someone that is unlike anything the Ninja World has ever seen. Naruto Neglect Fanfic. Stronger/Smarter Naruto Wood Release Naruto. Non-cannon Power. [Naruto x Harem] [OC x Harem]
1. Chapter 1

**There are a couple things I need to say before we get started here. The first is that this is a Naruto Neglect Fan Fiction. I have read a couple off and on over the past couple months and figured I might as well give it a try. In each of these stories there are certain parts that I like. So my goal for this story is to put together all of the elements that I liked from the different stories I've and hopefully create a product that is entertaining and worth the read. I'm going to be heavily incorporating an OC to train and bond with Naruto. I will be doing some slight bashing to help the story along, but I'm not a fan of the stories that take it WAY overboard. So I will also be making some changes from the cannon universe in order to better fit my story. The changes are made to the world not just the Hidden Leaf. They are listed below with brief explanations;**

 **·** **The graduation age of the academy is now 16**

 **o** **Don't get me wrong, I love the original Naruto series, but I am hoping to set up a more mature setting and don't think that can be accomplished by having a main cast of 12-13 year olds.**

 **·** **Tsunade and Jiraya area still very involved with the village**

 **o** **They now have a family to look out for and will have large supporting roles.**

 **·** **I am making the characters much stronger**

 **o** **By making the graduation age older I was planning on just making the whole cast a bit stronger to balance out the whole story. The Genin will be as strong as cannon Chunin, the Chunin as strong as Jonin, and so on. I will even be giving the Kage a power bump so that way they can keep up with the OCs I have in mind.**

 **·** **I am going to be skipping minor plot points within the story.**

 **o** **Sorry for those of you who love reading about D-rank missions and long overdone training arcs.**

 **·** **Naruto is going to be using a combination of normal cannon attacks and some original ideas I have thought up.**

 **o** **I just feel like it is an author's job to leave their mark on their stories, and within the Naruto universe there are only so many combinations you can come up with before it gets repetitive**

 **·** **I'm going to be tweaking the personalities of some of the characters to what will best serve the story**

 **o** **For example, Ino won't be an overly obnoxious fangirl (Sakura will still be), Hinata won't have a crippling shyness (she will still be rather conservative) and characters like Tenten and Samui won't be one dimensional and bland, I'll give them some personality.**

 **·** **Some of the arcs that happened in the background will be moved around a bit for foreshadowing and character development.**

 **o** **So the mobilization of the Akatsuki and the Kiri Civil War will be moved around a bit so there is never a dull moment**

 **Don't worry, I will still be covering all the major arcs of the original series like the Academy, Wave Arc, Chunin Exams, and Sasuke retrieval arc. I will also be keeping everybody else's powers like the cannon series for the sake of not recreating the entire universe.**

 **The most important part is reader interaction. I want you to let me know what you think, if there are grammatical errors, and ways you think I could improve the story. I am going to do my best to paint every scene and attire in as much detail as I can. In doing so, I am going to be making references to sounds, weapons, and attire from other anime, video games, movies, and TV shows. That way you can just look up a picture if you are having trouble imagining it.**

 **Well, it's about time for me to get started. So sit back, relax, and enjoy…**

 **And no, I don't own Naruto**

 **Chapter 1**

The Hidden Leaf Village is a beautiful place. Harshirama Senju, the First Hokage, picked out the location along with his best friend Madara Uchiha. Together they established the strongest of the Elemental Nations and paved the way for the rest of the world to follow.

Here we find ourselves, overlooking the Village Hidden in the Leaves from atop the very same mountain Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju once stood. Of course, there have been some changes made to the surrounding landscape. Now, down below, rather than a lush a green forest, there is a populous and thriving village. Shinobi and civilians interacting and living their lives. The Village was always a happy place. Today marks the five years anniversary of the defeat of the Nine Tailed Fox at the hands of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze and his Triplets. With the help of his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, the third hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and two of the three legendary Sanin, Tsunade Senju and Jiraya the Toad Sage, Minato Namikaze was able to split the Nine Tails into threeseparate containers. One, his eldest daughter Mito, who was a carbon copy of her mother, his youngest daughter Narumi that had his hair and blue eyes, and the other in his youngest son Menma. Menma had a similar body structure to Minato but Menma got his crimson hair and violet eyes he got from his mother.

From the top of the Hokage monument you can see them walking through the streets to their favorite restaurant _Ichiraku Ramen_. Along the way, the villagers are all smiling at the site of Minato (26) and Kushina (also 26) parading through the busy streets with the Prince and Princesses of the Leaf. Mito, Narumi, and Menma are celebrating their 5th birthday before with some lunch at their favorite restaurant before they get ready for their birthday party. Each year they are showered with gifts from Council and Clan Heads alike. This year they were excited because they would be starting training. They expected to get all of the best shinobi weapons and attire from their god parents, Tsunade and Jiraya, and the other clan heads. But they had no idea what their parents were going to get them. They had tried to find out only to be told, "It's a secret, but you're gonna love it!" Whatever it was, both parents seemed to be excited about it. This feeling of joy and excitement rubbed off on everybody. Whenever the 10th of October rolls around, the entire village just seems happier.

Well, all except for one.

Atop the Hokage Monument, on the head of Tobirama Senju, we find Naruto Namikaze; the eldest child of Minato and Kushina Namikaze and heir to the Namikaze-Uzumaki clan. Naruto had spent the day all alone, just like he spends any other day. His parents always ignored him for his younger siblings and the rest of the village seemed to follow. Today is his 6th birthday, but he was the only one who knew it. Every year he would wonder if his parents would remember. He wanted nothing more than to celebrate with his family and just have someone to be around, someone who loved him.

While Minato and Kushina never directly tried to hurt him, he was always treated as an annoyance. He was constantly seen as inferior to his siblings and he couldn't understand why. Naruto learned a lot about himself on his fifth birthday, none of it was shared.

(FLASHBACK: 1 year ago)

Naruto was excited. He couldn't sleep all night because he was so excited for today. The day he turned 5. This wasn't just your normal birthday, no, clan heirs are typically trained from the age of 5 on through their time at the Academy so they can graduate at the top of their classes. Naruto had noticed that his parents never seemed to have an interest in him for as long as he could remember, but this would be the year he changed that. This year he would work hard and show that he will be the best clan heir you could ask for.

Naruto ran downstairs to see his parents decorating the house with "Happy Birthday" signs. Naruto couldn't help but crack a 100-watt smile at his parents who were just noticing him.

"Awww, I knew you guys would remember," said Naruto, tears forming in his eyes from the sheer happiness that was flooding his system. Kushina and Minato exchanged a quick glance before looking at their son with a confused expression.

Kushina spoke up first, "Of course we wouldn't forget your brother's and sisters' birthday." She came across as offended at the fact that her son believed she would forget such an important day. Naruto's eyes widened, horror and sadness quickly replacing happiness.

"W-what do you mean, 'brother's and sisters' birthday?" Naruto choked out, holding back tears at this point. Minato was very confused now. First his son comes down, happy as can be, then Kushina talks about how they are prepping for the Triplets' birthday and now he is on the verge of tears.

It was at that moment Naruto knew, he was really nothing to them. His birthday, the one day a year that he was supposed to be happy, and his parents didn't even bother to remember it. The tears were flowing freely now as Naruto ran back upstairs and slammed the door. He couldn't believe what was happening. His parents forgot about his birthday. For as long as he could remember, he hadn't had a birthday party or been involved in the party with his siblings. But this year was worse. He knew deep down he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up, but couldn't help budget excited about being a part of his family.

He didn't was extravagant presents like the Triplets would always get. He didn't want big parties and hordes of guests. All Naruto wanted was to be accepted by his family, and they basically told him he was insignificant.

Naruto cried for hours, no one ever coming to check on him. He heard when his siblings woke up and went downstairs to see their living room covered in decorations. The sound of laughter and happiness was like a knife to his heart. It only got worse at the party.

Everybody treated Naruto like he didn't exist. He was treated like a bother and when the occasional visitor talked to him, it was always about is siblings. "What's it like being related to the _Prince and Princess of the Leaf_?" or "How are Lord Menma, Lady Narumi, and Lady Mito today?" or the one that crushed his spirits like a nut in a nutcracker, "I didn't even know Lady Mito, Lady Narumi and Lord Menma had a sibling."

After realizing that no one would miss him if he left, he wandered into his parent's library. On the table, he saw a couple books laying out titled _Introduction to Chakra Control,_ _Beginner's Chakra Theory,_ and _My Training Regimen._ There were two copies of the last one. Naruto started to look through the books only sparing a brief glance at each page.

Right as Naruto was looking at the last couple pages of _Introduction to Chakra Control,_ Minato and Kushina walked into the room, each smiling. They saw Naruto looking through the twin's gifts and reacted naturally.

"NARUTO! Don't touch that, it doesn't belong to you!" Kushina's scream startled Naruto making him rip the page he had in his hand. The gates of hell were opened.

Both Kushina and Minato started yelling at Naruto so loud the party downstairs stopped. Everyone present bore witness to one of the harshest verbal lashings ever given to anyone, let alone a 5-year-old.

They accused Naruto of being jealous a brat, just being an all-around bother to them. Naruto couldn't look at them. He stared at the floor and cried. As the lashing intensified, Naruto could barely maintain his composure. He was muffling his sobs when his mom grabbed him by the face. Lowering herself to his level she continued.

"What the hell are you crying for?! You break your siblings' present and now you think you can get off if you just cry? Get out of my sight. I don't want to see you for the rest of the night." Kushina hollered, inches away from Naruto's face.

Naruto dragged himself out of the library and to his room.

He didn't sleep that night.

 **(PRESENT TIME)**

As Naruto thought back he discovered two things. First, he has a photographic memory. All he needs is the slightest glimpse or exposure to something and he can remember is perfectly for the rest of his life. He remembered every single word his parents said to him that night. The mere memory of that night wrecked him emotionally.

Naruto had made a few attempts to bridge the gap between him and his family. His father had started to train Mito, Narumi and Menma every day, often times leaving his paperwork for the night so he can fully dedicate himself to the Triplets. They weren't exactly quick learners.

Minato was considered a prodigy and Kushina was one of the hardest workers on the face of the planet, so naturally they were able to rise through the ranks and become the two strongest ninja in the Hidden Leaf.

They were also determined to make Mito, Narumi, and Menma as strong as possible, for the fate of the world rested on their shoulders. Naruto remembered hearing about some prophecy pertaining to the Triplets, but little did he know that was the reason he was pushed aside.

 **(FLASHBACK- 1 week after the Nine Tails attack)**

"Are you absolutely sure Jiraya?" asked a troubled Minato, sparing a worried glance at his wife.

Jiraya had just rushed back from an emergency summons to Mt. Myaboku. The Toad sage had important news he needed to share with Minato immediately. Jiraya had received a prophecy form the Toads about Minato's and Kushina's children. According to the Elder Toad's foresight, a child of the Yellow Flash and Crimson Death would use powers never seen before to bring the world into an era of either peace or chaos. Immediately Jiraya believed it to be either Mito, Narumi, or Menma since they would be trained in how to harness the power of the Nine Tails. The only previous container, Mito Uzumaki (yes, in this story, Kushina was never the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails, hence she survived the attack on the Leaf), had never been able to do much more than suppress the beast. The fact that the power was a split up into two containers would make the chakra usable and maybe the Triplets would one day master their power. Jiraya had believed completely forgot the eldest child of the Namikaze-Uzumaki family.

"There isn't a doubt in my mind. One of the Triplets will be the child of prophecy. We need to do all we can to put them down the path of peace and not chaos. That means they need 100% of our attention. Kakashi, Tsunade, the two of you and I will have to do everything in our power, make the village see them as saviors and not monsters, train them to fight so they can handle the hardships they are destined to face, and above all else keep them happy. We can't afford to have the child of prophecy fall into darkness." Jiraya said with unwavering conviction. His words rallied Kushina for the upcoming tasks, Minato still had some worries.

"What about Naruto?" Minato said. The others in the room could sense the worry in his voice. He and Naruto had bonded within the year since his birth. Naruto was a carbon copy of Minato. Minato had never felt as happy as the day of Naruto's birth. All the accomplishments and praise he received meant nothing to him. The undying love he felt for his child was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Never having parents of his own, Minato wanted nothing more than to have a family when he was growing up. He had the love of his life with him and was able blessed with a healthy son. He would never forget the day, October 10th. It was the day he was completed. He had a son to bond with, tell stories too, tease, and do everything he never got to. Now, Jiraya was telling him to put Naruto aside for his new kids. Now don't get him wrong, he loved Mito, Narumi, and Menma just as much as Naruto, but he knew what it means to be alone in the world, and he wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy. He had to deal with it because his parents had died in the 2nd Great Ninja War. The day of their funeral, a 5-year-old Minato vowed that he would become strong enough to defend those close to him. He would protect his family and never abandon them to the cruel shinobi world they lived in. Looking at Jiraya as if daring him to say the wrong thing, Minato awaited an answer.

Kushina beat Jiraya to the punch, "Hell no! We are not going to abandon him. He is as much our child as Mito, Narumi, and Menma, we just need to focus on the Triplets a bit more."

(FLASHBACK END)

HOKAGE OFFICE

 _… A bit more._ Minato thought to himself as he signed off on his and Kushina's gift to the Triplets. Minato deeply regretted not shooting down that prophecy nonsense as soon as Jiraya brought it up. Every time he saw Naruto his heart broke a little. His eldest seemed to be completely broken. Minato would often catch Naruto watching the triplets interact with his family and friends. His eyes full of remorse and longing. The Namikaze name carries merit and power all around the world. Minato had built a legacy for his children to build from, but you wouldn't think that Naruto was Namikaze by the way he is treated.

Most of the village had forgotten he even existed, and those that didn't gave him the moniker of _The Other Namikaze._ When Minato heard that it took Jiraya, Tsunade, and Kushina to keep him from killing the civilian council member that addressed Naruto in such a way.

He wasn't the only one with doubts. Kushina, while stubborn and headstrong, wasn't entirely sure this was the best course of action. It pained her to see Naruto heartbroken, but she knew that the fate of the entire world was in the balance. She kept telling herself that she just had to make it to the Triplets 5th birthday, then they would start training the Triplets.

Kushina figured when they started training the Triplets things would be easier. She would fully devote herself to Mito, Narumi, and Menma and she wouldn't have time for anything else. She never went back on her word, and on the day Jiraya came to her and Minato with the prophecy, she vowed to be the light for her Mito, Narumi, and Menma. She wouldn't allow them to slip into darkness. The pain she felt in her heart never faded though. It got harder and harder for her to see Naruto, so much so that she would often blow up at anything Naruto did and send him away. Her emotions often shifted from sadness to anger in the blink of an eye. Naruto would often get scolded over minor things because Kushina needed to vent some of the anger she held for herself. She figured eventually things would smooth out with Naruto. Today the Triplets would start training. Mito was always self-motivated, but would get discouraged easy and Menma's laziness rivaled that of a Nara. Narumi was always kind hearted and trying to make everyone happy. It killed her to see Naruto sad all the needed to come up with a way to keep them focused and something to remind them to push on when their training was hard. She had come up with it and convinced/forced Minato into going through with it. Tonight was going to be a big night.

PARTY AT THE NAMIKAZE COMPOUND **(yes, they have a compound, not just a small house like in cannon)**

Tonight, was very important for all the leaf residents. To score points with the Hokage, many civilians and shinobi alike would pull out all the stops and get only the best gifts for Mito, Narumi, and Menma. One year, Minato wanted to turn away the gifts, but Kushina rejected the notion, saying they weren't his gifts to return. Wanting to keep the Triplets happy, he complied, albeit reluctantly. This year was the worst yet.

In the back corner of their rather lavish living room stood three mountains of gifts. One for Mito, one for Narumi, and one for Menma. If one were to look to the left of the impressive stacking feat, they would see the eldest Namikaze.

Naruto was sitting at the end of the stairs in a plain black shirt and dark gray shorts. His messy blonde hair shadowed his eyes from all the party goers. He was forced to attend the party every year, as if to rub in his face the fact that his siblings got more than he could ever dream of, while he got nothing. No love. No acceptance. No real family or friends. A single tear ran down Naruto's face over his trademark whisker birthmarks, three on each side. He was pulled from his agony by his mother speaking up to gather everyone's attention.

"Thank you all so much for being here tonight. I really appreciate you all taking the time to come and celebrate Mito, Narumi, and Menma's 5th birthday." Kushina said with a beautiful smile on her face, reminding many why she was one of the most sought after maidens in the Elemental Nations. "Anything for the _Prince and Princess of the Leaf_." A rather drunk civilian slurred out sincerely. Kushina's smile widens as she looks back at Mito, Narumi, and Menma sitting next to each other with Minato to the right on Menma with Narumi to his left, and Mito to her left. "We are going to start opening gifts, so please if you would do this orderly, we wouldn't want a repeat of last year." Kushina warned with smile that promised pain to anybody who ruined Mito, Narumi, and Menma's big day.

Minato laughed nervously. He remembered what his wife had done to a few civilians that rushed to share their gifts and ended up running into and end table and breaking her favorite vase. The crowd remembered too, so they organized themselves into a line, civilians first then shinobi second.

Naruto watched with envy basically oozing from him. He watched as his siblings received top of the line training gear, masterfully crafted weapons, jutsu scrolls, and countless books pertaining to combat intelligence and chakra theory.

His siblings were well mannered for the most part. Some of the books got a disapproving look from Menma but with a dangerous glare from Mito and Narumi, he quickly shaped up. Now their godparents were approaching them, each holding the sealing scroll. The twin's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as Jiraya and Tsunade laid the scrolls on the table, and gesturing for the twin to sign them. With a childish glee, Menma signed the Toad contract and began yelling about how he would become the strongest shinobi ever. Mito and Narumi were much more reserved but still wore a rather large smile as they signed the Slug Contract.

The room was in shock. All the shinobi had heard stories about two of the strongest summons clans, the Toads and Slugs. They also knew that only a handful of people in history had signed those contracts, putting the _Prince and Princess_ in some very good company. The onlookers started to applaud as Kushina and Minato rose from their seats. As they were walking to the front of their children, Naruto noticed that his father was holding something in his hand that had the official seal of the Hokage on it. A little curious, Naruto rose and inched his way through the crowd until he was directly behind his parents. When he got there, he could clearly hear something that would change his life forever.

Minato quieted the crowd and noticed his eldest had made his way to the front row. A moment of eye contact with Naruto made Minato consider scrapping this entire idea. He wasn't sure he could this to him in the first place, but to do it at a time like this, in front of all the important figures in the village? That would make things immensely harder. Minto thought that maybe, by some chance, this whole ordeal would go over Naruto's head, he was still a child after all. Steeling his resolve, Minato decided to continue.

"I would like to thank you all for the gifts and on behalf of my entire family, I hope you enjoyed the night and we can celebrate like this many more times in the future." Minato cracked a charismatic smile that was reciprocated by the entire crowd. For some reason, Naruto got the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Looking around he didn't see anything out of place around the room so he decided to curb his thoughts and return his attention to his father.

"We just have one last gift to give to Mito, Narumi, and Menma tonight," Naruto narrowed his eyes, the foreboding feeling returning, but this time much, much stronger than before. "As the Fourth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, I, Minato Namikaze, name Mito Namikaze-Uzumaki the heir of the Uzumaki clan, Narumi Namikaze-Uzumaki the heir of the Namikaze clan, and will personally be training Menma so he can one day take my place as Hokage." The crowd reactions were mixed.

The overwhelming majority erupted into a craze of cheers and clapping. Some even went as far as to whistle and scream like they were celebrating a victory in the Chunin Exams. A select few knew what this meant. Shukaku Nara, the Nara clan head and his son Shikimaru stared in disbelief. They knew Naruto and even kind of like the boy. He was kind and warm hearted to everybody, but his eyes held a sadness that is indescribable. They didn't really know what caused the sadness, but now they got their answer. A couple in the crowd looked on stoically. Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha seemed indifferent towards the news. Behind Minato, Jiraya and Tsunade were hugging and congratulating Menma and Mito respectively. Both children were the happiest they had ever been in their life. Menma was shedding tears of joy while he buried himself into Jiraya's chest, laughing and smiling the entire time. Mito was uncharacteristically expressive too. She was smiling and openly laughing with Tsunade, going as far as to jump off her chair and into Tsunade's waiting arms. Narumi ran and gave her father the biggest hug imaginable. The celebrations were cut short when there was a sudden explosion of chakra in front of them.

All eyes widened at the display of power and jaws became acquainted with the floor when they saw who was emitting this suffocating presence.

In the center of the room stood Naruto, shooting a glare at his father that would turn Medusa to stone. Around him whipped vicious wisps of light blue chakra, tearing up floorboards and blowing back civilians and shinobi that were unfortunate enough to be nearby. His eyes held pure rage and betrayal, while his body released more chakra than the average Jonin. His parents looked at him with wide eyes, for several reasons. The first of which was they didn't know that Naruto had awoken his chakra. Secretly Naruto had been training in chakra control and studying chakra theory at the public library. He naturally was able to mold his chakra easily, making the Tree Walking Exercise and Water Walking Exercise child's play for him. He had even asked Tsunade for some basic medical ninjutsu he could train in, but was sharply denied. The second reason was the sheer amount of chakra he was emitting. While the Uzumaki blood ran strong in his veins, even a full-blood Uzumaki's chakra reserves were dwarfed by Naruto's. _If he has the equivalent to a Jonin at the age of 6, what will he be like when he gets out of the Academy? Or even after that? Or even after that?_ Mianto's thoughts were almost identical to the thoughts of Tsunade, Kushina and Jiraya. Naruto cut their thoughts short as he took a step forward, the wood floor splintering under his feet. "Excuse me?" Said Naruto, far too calmly for the situation he was in. "If I heard you correctly, you just took away the only thing that this family has ever given me." Naruto continued to walk towards his parents, snapping them out of their trance.

"Naruto, you don't understand. We were just-" Kushina was cut off when Naruto's chakra jumped up to a whole other level. Kakashi looked at Naruto in awe. _He's radiating more chakra than I have…_ He was interrupted from his thoughts when Naruto spoke again. "I don't understand? I DON'T UNDERSTAND?!" Naruto yelled, releasing even more of his stored chakra, shattering windows and blowing everything in the house away like a tornado. "Let me tell you what the fuck I understand! None of you care about me! You ignore me for years because of those three and now you take the only thing I ever had. The only thing that ever proved that I existed!" Naruto continued as tears were flowing freely down his face. "Do you know what today is?" he asked his parents. Most of the crowd was trembling at this point from the sheer charka being whipped around the room. "DO YOU?!" Naruto hollered, making everyone in the room wince.

At a loss for words, Kushina and Minato tried to talk but nothing came out of their mouths. The sadness and neglect in Naruto's eyes was replaced by pure rage. Minato's eyes widened in realization but before he could speak, Naruto did.

"TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY!" Naruto yelled so loudly even a certain pink haired banshee councilwoman was shocked. The room fell into a state of disbelief.

Minato and Kushina stared at their son. Shock, sadness, self-loathing, all fighting for control over their emotions. Now they understood why Naruto always acted the way he did on this day. For 5 years, it hadn't been his birthday, it had been the Triplets' Birthday. Never had he be acknowledged alongside the Triplets, he had always been alone in the shadow of the Triplets. He wasn't there voluntarily. He was put there by his parents and godparents. Their obsession with the prophecy and the Triplets had made it impossible for him to get the one thing he wanted. Love. He felt unwanted by his parents and unloved by his godparents. He was sick of it. He may be six, but he had the intelligence of an Academy graduate. He was a genius, a prodigy, but his parents wouldn't have known. They never took an interest in him. Naruto remembered all of it. Each painful rejection, each unwarranted chastising, all of it was burned into his mind because of his photographic memory.

Tears started to fall from his parents' eyes, but Naruto didn't notice. "Maybe it would just be better if I just didn't exist!" Naruto yelled as the entire house was enveloped in a bright flash and when everyone recovered Naruto was gone. Minato was the first one to snap out of his daze.

"ANBU!" He yelled uncharacteristically loud. In the blink of an eye there were four masked figures in generic ANBU garb kneeling in front of him. "Find him! Please find my son!" As soon as Minato finished, the ANBU dispersed, mobilizing 4 battalions of ANBU and other shinobi to find the eldest Namikaze. Minato turned to his family to see a troubling sight. Instead of the happy laughing children he has seem moments ago, Mito, Narumi, and Menma were trembling and being comforted by the two Sanin. Then he looked to the left and saw his wife, she was a combination of sad and enraged. She was in a heap on the floor crying, rethinking everything they had done to this point. Minato could only hope that his ANBU found Naruto before he did anything to harm himself.

 **(TOP OF THE HOKAGE MONUMENT)**

A very drained and pissed off Naruto laid flat on top of the Second Hokage's stone face. His emotions were a hurricane of sadness, rage, and disappointment. He had trained himself into the ground for the past year to try and impress his parents. He just wanted to be accepted by his parents and godparents so he trained. Every waking moment was dedicated to bettering himself and further enhancing his natural abilities. This wasn't how he wanted to reveal them. He just wanted his family to be happy for him. He just wanted them to be proud of him, not treat him like a nuisance.

Naruto cried quietly to himself, looking off the edge and considering jumping. He was interrupted by a ruffling in the bushes behind him. He expected it to be one of his father's ANBU, but was surprised when instead he came face to face with a particularly unique character.

In front of him stood an 18-year-old who looked like he was in his early 20s. He had shaggy brown hair that sat in a sort of organized chaos on top of his head. He stood just shy of 6-feet, and wore black sweatpants that covered his legs completely. Instead of the usual shinobi sandals Naruto had grown accustomed to, the stranger wore jet black combat boots to match his sweatpants. His torso was covered with a dark gray muscle shirt. Black straps could be seen wrapped around his body supporting the sheath for two 9-inch black-bladed Bowie Knives. The stranger was spinning one in his hand like it was second nature. The knife whipped around his hand in a blur, but looked completely natural. The hilts were a vibrant gold, while the handle was covered in black leather. The knives were place parallel to his spine and on either side. His build was on the larger side. His chest and stomach was out in the open, covered only by his skin-tight muscle shirt. The shirt did little to veil his battle-hardened body. His chest and abs were well defined and you could make out every detail in his arms (his body is like Captain America as soon as he got out of the pod). Over everything he wore a brilliantly gold cloak that was open in the front and rimmed with black outlines and accents along the edges and pockets. He had a weird design on the back of the cloak that looked like a small Star of David within another larger Star of David. The stars were connected by many extravagant lines and tomoes encircling the design.

The design was perfectly symmetrical as if it were meticulously created. Around his neck was a golden necklace with a white gold anchor charm in the center of his chest. Lastly, on his back were two identical swords. Each had a handle that was a quarter of a meters, covered in black leather like the knives on his back. The blades were exactly one meter long. The hilts were covered by some sort of medical bandage that sealed the swords in their sheaths. The details of the blades remained secret to any onlooker. His neck was exposed showing a few nasty looking scars that seemed to run down onto his torso. His face and jawline were very prominent, lacking any kind of fat or excess weight. His face was absent of scars but his eyes were piercing. The gold around his pupils seemed to glow in the dim lighting of the forest. His eyes expressed wisdom beyond his age, interesting Naruto to no end.

Naruto couldn't take his eyes off the man as he approached. His stature and demeanor demanded respect, but it was well deserved. On top of the confidence that came off him in droves, he had the most welcoming aura Naruto had ever experienced. Something just made you want to be around him. As he got closer Naruto just seemed to be at ease. All the emotions that were running rampant in his minds were all calmed in his presence. He carried himself like a deity, his steps making no noise. The moonlight reflected off his cloak to give his overall appearance the mystical feel.

"You know I've thought about it too." The mysterious stranger said as he took a seat next to the still standing Naruto. He continued with his gaze fixed on something in the distance. "How easy it would be to just end things now. Nobody would miss me. All the pain I feel would finally end. I wouldn't be alone anymore." Naruto noticed his neighbor's eyes changed from welcoming and comforting to extreme sadness. _What did you have to go through to carry that much sadness?_

"It turns out somebody else had different plans." The man said with a slight chuckle as he took the knife in his right hand, rolled up his left sleeve to his elbow, and cut his left wrist all the way down his veins. As blood started to pour out Naruto began to panic. In a shaken hurry, Naruto grabbed his arm and tried to apply pressure to the wound. As he pushed down he felt something shifting under his hand.

As Naruto removed his blood-soaked hand from the stranger he watched in awe as the wound rapidly closed, leaving a bit of steam as the skin reconnected. Naruto looks up to meet the eyes of the stranger, his eyes begging for answers. His curiosity was met with a low chuckle from the stranger.

"Imagine my shock when I jumped of a building to end it but everything grew right back just like before I landed." He fixed his sleeve and returned his gaze to Naruto, the look of compassion and acceptance had returned.

"It took me trying it to realize it was the right choice. People like you and me, we may be pushed aside. We may get left out or ostracized. We may be hated and even hunted to the ends of the earth, but it's our responsibility to do as much good as possibility. We can't let their ignorance and stupidity be our downfall." The man stood up and walked away from the edge. Once he was about 10 feet from the edge he extended his right hand and opened his palm. In a flash of brilliant rainbow colored flame (the same flames as the dragons in Avatar: The Last Airbender) a two-meter golden staff appeared in his hand. Upon closer observation one would notice the black indentions running all through the length of the staff. The tip facing Naruto had what looked like spread eagle wings, and in between the two wings was a gem that was constantly shifting colors like it was alive. On the back end there was another gem, but this one was pitch black, making it look almost like the tip of a kunai.

"I see too much of myself in you, Naruto. I see the pain and sadness in your eyes that I carried when I was your age. I want nothing more than to help you, to give you the one thing you always wanted." The man said as he turned to Naruto with his left hand extended. "I'm asking you to trust me. If you want to be strong, I'll make you the strongest shinobi on the face of the planet. If you want to travel the world, I'll take you along for the ride and we can see everything the Elemental Nations have to offer. As much as you want a family, I want one too." He said as he took a few steps toward Naruto, his left hand still extended.

Naruto didn't know what to do. Just after his parents had finally confirmed his worst fears, he had this teenager come and offer him everything he ever wanted. Naruto wanted to be skeptical, if his own family didn't want anything to do with him then why would a stranger. As his internal war raged on, he didn't notice the man walk towards him and embrace Naruto.

Every doubt he had in his mind was erased right there. He felt the sincerity in what the man had told him. He could feel the desire to help and tears began to form in his eyes. He had never been hugged like this by his family, they rarely spoke to him and outright avoided physical contact. In this man's arms, he felt something he hadn't in a while. A rush of every positive emotion he hadn't experienced in years; happiness, relief, and acceptance flooded his mind as he buried himself in the chest of this stranger.

"T-thank you…" Naruto choked out as he tried to maintain his composure.

"Ace. My name is Ace," The former stranger share,. "You aren't alone anymore. I will always be there for you, Naruto. Happy birthday, Naruto." Ace released his staff as it disappeared in the same flash it appeared in. He pulled out a necklace like his own from his right cloak pocket and put it around Naruto's neck. He then fully embraced the boy feeling many of the same emotions as Naruto. As tears fell from their eyes, they knew one thing. They weren't alone anymore.


	2. Chapter 2: 11 Years Later

Before we get started, I just wanted to talk about a few things.

First, I am happy to see that for the most part, you guys are liking the story. It is nice to get a few reviews and PMs from people asking me about the story and wanting me to write more.

Second, I plan on writing the next few chapters very quickly. What I mean by that is, I hope to have up to chapter 5/6 up within the next few days. I have the story planned out for a while and just need to get it down on paper.

Third, I want you guys to let me know that you think of the story. If you have ideas or questions about anything, just leave me a Review or PM me. I will be responding to all Reviews, so i can communicate with you guys as much as possible.

Fourth, I am doing my best to proof-read these chapters before I publish them, but I'm human. I read through the first chapter and already fixed a couple mistakes that I saw. If you guys see anything that needs to be fixed grammatically, just let me know.

And Fifth, At the beginning of last chapter, I said that Mito and Menma were the only ones to have the Nine Tails chakra. That was a mistake, Mito, Narumi, and Menma have the Nine Tails sealed away within them.

Reviews:

Guest 1: I'm getting to his confrontation with his family. I don't want to make it a one and done thing. I feel like it is only realistic for there to be lasting problems with their relationship, so Naruto has to choose what he is going to do.

Guest 2: I wouldn't say they are all the same. I think that this story will really separate itself in the next few chapters due to how I plan to have Naruto fight and how he and Ace are going to interact with the Hidden Leaf.

Greer123: I will definitely be keeping up with this story. I have some ideas for other stories, but I want to have this one firmly established before I worry about those.

Guest 3: Don't worry, Naruto won't be anyone's tool. He has no other option but to return to the Leaf if he wants to be a shinobi. He and Ace have a plan, but you will just have to wait and see how it is going to work.

Naru1chimaru: You were the first review, only a few hours after I posted the chapter. I'm glad that you like it so far. I hope you like what is coming next too.

A Table of Notes

 **"Speech,"- Summon or Tailed Beast**

 **(Words)- Authors Notes**

Thank you for reading this far, if you did. Without further delay, here is the second Chapter in Naruto: The Forsaken One...

 **Chapter 2**

 **(TIME SKIP 11 YEARS)**

A 17-year-old, shirtless blonde rose out of bed at 7 a.m. like he had every day for the past decade. He walked out of his room and into the bathroom to go through his usual morning routine. When he got in front of the mirror he got a good look at himself. Long gone was his child body he had when he met Ace. It was replaced by the type of body girls can only dream of. The muscles of his chest and stomach looked like they were carved in granite. No real deposits of fat existed on his body, so with the absence of his shirt, you got to follow each individual muscle and all its movements. His muscles were much denser than a normal shinobi as well, making his skin seem like it is reinforced and hard to pierce. Below the belt, Naruto had legs that could carry him for days and not give out. His punches and kicks were strong enough to shatter bones like glass and pierce iron like paper, but his strength was something that he considered his weak-point. Naruto focused more on speed.

Without his resistance seals, Naruto was faster than the current Raikage with his lightning armor active. Early in his training he realized that there were certain things he would never catch Ace in. Strength was one of those. Ace's bones were made out of some sort of metal that he boasted was the strongest metal in existence. Comparing Ace's strength to that of Tsunade Senju would be like comparing a professional weight-lifter to a new born. For the first five years, Ace wouldn't throw punches at Naruto in fear of permanently damaging him.

As Naruto grew up, he naturally became tougher and stronger than anybody in his generation. All those ass-kickings by Ace were at least good for something. Naruto could confidently say that he could best nearly everyone in a strictly Taijutsu fight. He wanted to fight against Gai when he had opened the eight gates, but hadn't had the opportunity.

Naruto didn't consider what he did as training. Ace was a slave driver and would work Naruto till he couldn't walk every day for the past ten years. His body was constantly sore and his head always hurt from memorizing new things. Everyday, Naruto was with Ace from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., working on whatever Ace had planned for the day. Usually, the first and last hour were used for meditation on the day's techniques. During this time, Ace would also funnel minimal amounts of his power into Naruto's system, allowing Naruto's body to adapt to the power overtime. They would sit back-to-back and Ace would manifest what his power.

Ace's power was unlike anything Naruto had ever seen or heard of. For one, Ace didn't use chakra. Instead Ace described his power as the ability to manipulate energy itself. He said that where he was from there were five kinds of people. The first of which have the rapid regeneration he had demonstrated the night they meant. The second group had the ability to control matter and energy with their mind, or telekinesis as Ace called it. This ability is what allows Ace to manipulate any type of ninjustsu style by manipulating the energy around him. No hand signs were required, all he must do is clap his hands together to balance the power he would put into the attacks **(Imagine the way Ed and Al transmutate in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, even the awesome little sound)**. While he could use every element on the level of the Second Hokage's water style, the things Ace could do with Fire, Lightning, and Wind amazed Naruto every time he saw them. Ace's fire required ridiculous amounts of water to put out and would burn hot enough to melt stone and steel like butter. He could mold it into almost any shape of form he could imagine. Naruto still had a few scars from when Ace chased him around with a rainbow-fire tiger. Lightning and Wind were just as remarkable. His telekinesis powers weren't restricted to energy, they could manipulate matter in the world that Ace's presence touched, excluding people and other living animals. He must touch animals and humans physically then he could move them with his mind. He could also summon beautiful golden and black 'vectors' as Ace called them. The looked like giant 2D circles that had many designs around the center **(Think the Magic Circles from early on in Fairy Tail)**. These would appear wherever Ace designated. These produced a force that will push anything in front of it. Naruto had also noticed that Ace could manipulate his body with Telekinesis as well. More than once Naruto had rushed Ace thinking he had an opening, only for Ace to contort is body around and land a bone-crushing hit to his jaw.

The third power Ace had was telepathy. He could read the thoughts and sense the presence of anybody within a mile of him. He could alter the memories and reality someone would see if he concentrated hard enough. Naruto was put through a very intense mental conditioning thanks to this power. Now Naruto was impervious to all genjutsu thanks to the absolute mental defense Ace helped him build. Ace could also control someone if he makes eye contact. Looking into his eyes in a fight was like signing your own death sentence. This power got very annoying when they would spar, because Naruto constantly had to focus on hiding his thoughts from Ace or it would be a very painful experience. Eventually, blocking Ace's mental assault became second nature, but he could never find a way to escape after making eye contact when Ace used his Oculus form. Ace's Oculus form was very similar to the Mangekyo Sharigan, but had a few key differences. Rather than making the Susanoo, Ace was capable of transferring energy into a solid state for armor, walls, or anything else he could think of. Ace also had the enhanced perception and predictability that came with the Sharigan. He also had perfect 360-degree vision when he had it active. The design was the same as the symbol on Ace's back, which made sense to Naruto. Ace never told Naruto how he got those eyes, but Naruto didn't press the issue. Telepathy was the power Ace used the least because he didn't want to intrude on a person's privacy. He had developed a way to shut it off like a light switch and would leave it off for a majority of the time.

His last power was Naruto's favorite. Ace had the power to teleport anywhere he had in his memory or could see. Like Naruto, Ace had a photographic memory, making it easy for him to travel great distances and an absolute pain in the ass to fight against. Whenever Ace would teleport it sounded like he was ripping his very existence from the Earth and forcing it somewhere else **(It is the sound of a Sonido from Bleach)**. Ace always said that this was his favorite power. He could teleport himself, things he was touching, or things he had marked by placing his palm on them. The mark was the same one as his cloak. Ace's teleportation was the fastest thing Naruto had ever seen. Even his father's Flying Thunder God technique took a fraction of a second to travel to the seal. You couldn't predict where Ace would appear because he didn't rely on seals. Naruto would always love and hate this ability.

It took five years for Naruto to unlock these abilities. Each one came in his time of need. He discovered the regeneration first when Ace punched him in the stomach for the first time. His insides were reduced to confetti, but he felt a heat all over his body then the pain started to fade. He watched with a combination of horror and awe as he watched his abdomen piece itself back together. While he still had to deal with the pain of his injuries, but from the loss of limbs to the removal of vital organs, Naruto always could regenerate. Ace warned him that he had to protect his spine, because that is where the basis for the regenerative power manifest. Naruto was happy to know his weakness and had already come up with a few ways to protect it. After repetitive regeneration, Naruto's bones also became much denser than they previously were. His bones were similar in strength to steel, but would still shatter like a vase if he took a direct hit from Ace.

Naruto had discovered telekinesis when he was attempting to combine elements. Naruto's natural elements were wind and fire, which he mastered within the first three years of training with Ace. His mastery over fire was just like Madara Uchiha's and his mastery in Wind allowed him to fly and manipulate air around him in ways few had ever been able to do. He was trying to recreate the First Hokage's Wood progress was slow until he asked Ace for help at the age of 14. Ace had explained the concepts of energy manipulation for Naruto and walked him through combing two different types of energy together. When it was all said and done, Naruto was confident that the First would be proud of his skills in the Wood Style. On top of the Wood Style, Naruto also learned how to use the Scorch style and Ice Style. He only learned these because of the attacks Ace could create and use against him. While not really interested at first, Naruto fell in love with these three styles. They were all very useful and only limited by the imagination of the user.

Naruto had discovered his telepathy when he was trying to block one of Ace's mental assaults. He ended up turning the table on Ace and saw some of his memories. What he saw scarred him. He was scarred to go and poke around in other people's minds now so he followed what Ace did, and used his telepathy for fights only. He was never able to unlock the control power that Ace had, but he was glad about that. A power like that would be too tempting to use and Naruto didn't trust himself with something like that.

Funny enough, Naruto had discovered his last power, teleportation, mid ass-kicking. While Naruto's base speed may surpass the Raikage, when Ace put effort into his Teleportation style martial arts, Naruto looked like he was standing still. He was desperate to escape a situation in which Ace was repeatedly flicking him in the forehead. And for those that don't know, even Naruto's denser bones were cracked by flicks when Ace tried. Naruto loved everything about teleporting. Ace had helped him work it into different fighting styles, but Naruto was limited to places he could see or had placed his mark on. His mark was a simple chibi Naruto with a thumb up and his tongue sticking out. Ace and Naruto found it amusing.

Ace had also taken full advantage of Naruto's photographic memory and taught him a lifetimes worth of martial arts skills in a decade. No matter the opponent, Naruto now had a style he could use to counter them. When you add in his teleportation and telekinesis enhancement potentials, the potential was staggering. Naruto noted many times how much stronger his punches and kicks were when he used telekinesis enhanced his muscles and bones before he struck. Hand-to-hand wasn't the only thing he trained over the years.

For Naruto's seventh birthday, Ace made him two Bowie knives that were just a few inches smaller than his own, standing at 6'3/4 inches as opposed to Ace's 9 inch knives. That year they spent countless hours working on techniques and ways to incorporate the blades into his fighting style. Ace used them for quick and/or quite kills. He also used these instead of kunai because he could just teleport them back to him or pull them back with his telekinesis.

Naruto used them in a very similar fashion, just didn't really like to throw them because he was usually fast enough to close the gap and wouldn't even have to bother throwing the knives. He knew Ace had specifically crafted all his weapons so wasn't going to change much from how Ace used them.

For his eighth birthday, Ace made Naruto a staff like his own. It was the exact same in everything except for weight and the gems on the staff. While Ace's gems were a rainbow color on top and jet black on bottom, Naruto's top gem was gold but his bottom gem was black like Ace's. Ace's staff also weighed somewhere around 250 pounds, Naruto's was at a solid 75 pounds. The staff was Naruto's personal favorite. Everything about it just came naturally to him. He could even annoy Ace in a strictly BO staff fight. Ace showed him how to augment his staff techniques with minor telekinesis usage here and there. Naruto could summon and dispel his staff much like Ace, but he liked to carry it with him whenever his hands weren't full.

On his ninth birthday, he received a the last of Ace's weapon set, the twin blades on Ace's back. Once again Naruto's blades were shorter, by about a quarter of a meter this time. They fit him perfectly. He loved everything about them and while they were made of the same metal as Ace's, Naruto figured out that each of the weapons Ace made were from metal he had gathered from cutting off limbs and harvesting the bone. Naruto was a bit weirded out at first, but when he confronted Ace about it, Ace said that he trusted Naruto with the strongest substance in existence and wanted to give him only the best equipment to use. He said the only two with blades made from that metal were him and Naruto now.

Ace was unrivaled in combat.

Nobody would ever be able to stand up to him in a fist fight. He had mastered countless styles and shared many of them with Naruto, but Naruto knew he stood no chance against Ace in a taijutsu fight. The second thing Ace was godlike at was his Kenjutsu. Ace described the swords as being their own person. He talked about earning the trust of the blades, but Naruto just thought he was a bit crazy. Well at least he did until Ace unsheathed his blades for the first time. Ace had taken Naruto to a mountain range in the Middle of Iron Country. When he took his swords out of their covers he sliced straight through the largest mountain in the range. The cut was perfect, clean and unlike anything in recorded history. He proceeded to show him the higher-level techniques he had created which involved channeling his own energy **(not chakra)** into the blade and releasing it as a slash shaped projectile. The energy would either strengthen the blade or cut through anything in its path. Naruto had to regrow more than a few limbs when he was learning to use and block this technique.

Naruto grasped the concepts of kenjutsu very easily and was even able to pick up intermediate techniques and styles in three months. He spent the remainder of his time studying high level techniques and incorporating his own personal touches to each style. The sword style Ace used was called the Dragon Stance. It fully incorporated the powers Ace had and was a combination of every other style Naruto had ever seen. By taking the best parts of each style and mashing them all together, Ace created a style with no weak points. This style was the hardest for Naruto to master because of the complexity of it. The style came natural to Ace because he had been able to use his powers all his life. In contrast, Naruto was still mastering his teleportation and telekinesis. He didn't have either mastered until he was 15. Even after mastering his powers, Naruto's abilities limited the potential of this stance. It would be years until he was truly a master of the Dragon Stance.

On Naruto's 10th birthday, Ace sat down with him and spent the day answering any question Naruto had about his past, the "training" regimen, or anything else Naruto came up with. This conversation lasted all day and Naruto now knew Ace's life story. He explained to him the concepts of space and travel between planets. Ace also pointed out that many things were different in his world. His people aged a lot slower than Naruto's. Ace had deduced that for every year on Naruto's planet, he aged about a week or two. That explained why Ace had barely changed over the 11 years Naruto had known him. There were also minor changes, for example a year on Legion was 18 months rather than the 12 on Earth. Naruto was amazed by the technology Ace explained. Metal boxes that could travel millions of miles, many times faster than the speed of light. Once Naruto had a basic understanding, Ace got into his life story. He talked about how he was born to a loving mother and father in a faraway planet called Legion. Legion was the center of an intergalactic empire that had ruled for 10,000 years. There had been three previous empires; the Originals, Predecessors, and Transidentials. Ace said that his people were decedents of the Predecessors and overthrew the Transidentials in a long, bloody way. Ace described his home as very militaristic. They valued strength and your worth on a battle field. Almost everyone had a legacy and were trained from the day their fourth birthday to fight. Every kid wanted to grow up and be one of the Five Commanders in the Legion Army. There was one to represent each legacy group as well as those without legacies, but the unity of the army didn't end all conflicts. There were many violent outbreaks between divisions that would escalate into full blown civil wars.

There was one thing that made the people unite, an enemy greater than themselves.

In Legonian society, it was rare for one person to have two legacies. The odds were about one in a billion. They existed, and they often thrived in the military, but were kept around because they had a limited amount of power. There were about 100 dual-legacy warriors in the army at the time Ace left. There were three people who had three legacies. Ace had fought the three of them when he was younger and upon defeating them, convinced them to leave behind the Legonian Army and fight for their own purpose, not the agenda of some politician that didn't care about them.

Ace said that people like him were hunted down and killed at all costs.

Ace talked about how he lived a happy life until he was five, then his family was attacked by the Legonian military in fear of what Ace could become.

Ace's mother was a beautiful petite woman. She was just over five feet tall and was one of the smartest people in the entire empire. She was always hard on Ace, but he knew she only wanted him to succeed. Her name was Alejandra, or Alex for short. She was 25 when she died.

His father was the only person that could mentally match his mother. He was a decent height of 5'9, and was a health nut. Most Ace's training was done with his dad. He loved it when his parents were together because they brought out the best in each other. His name was Kenneth. He died at the 24.

He said the technical term for his different powers was _legacies_. Ace said the fear the normal warrior had for Legion, people with the ability to use all four legacies, was common and crippling. When he was four, Ace had awakened a few of his legacies and was seen using them at school. He was recruited into the military at a young age to ensure his loyalty, but his parents rejected the offer. They said that they wished for Ace to have a normal childhood and join the military at the normal age, 16. They didn't take too kindly to the rejection and began bullying his family into submission. Almost a year later, on Ace's fifth birthday, a military special ops team consisting of 12 dual-legacy-users, attacked Ace and his family. They treated it like a game, torturing Ace's family in front of him. The mentally tortured him by replaying the death of his parents repeatedly in his mind. They tortured Ace throughout the entire ordeal. The skinned portions of his body repeatedly and would cut out one eye, but leave the other so he could see what they were doing, and while it grew back they would make him watch as they tortured his parents. Ace's parents didn't have any legacies, so their bodies could only withstand so much. When they died, the soldiers weren't satisfied yet. They tortured Ace for another five hours, then they heard a crying from the other room. Inside they found Ace's younger sister.

The attackers dragged out the four-year-old by her solid black hair. She had tears in her eyes when she saw he parents dead on the floor and Ace's severed body parts strewn about the room. Ace said they had their suspicions she was a Legion, but there hadn't been one since those two teenagers fled the Empire a few years back.

It wasn't the fact that Legions could master all four legacies that made them a liability. They were always of genius intelligence and had a state they could enter called their Apex State. No matter how intelligent one becomes, the Apex state throws that out the window. When in the state, a Legion fights entirely on instinct. They increase their power and attack compacity exponentially, increase all their senses, and kicks all their legacies into overdrive. Ace said that he had trained in controlling the state, which made him able to fight with the killer instincts of the State, but also keep his wits, making him immeasurably more dangerous.

As Ace watched his sister get her throat slit and bleed out in front of him, something snapped. Gone was the helpless child that was just learning his powers. Instead in his wake was a five-year-old juggernaut. His body erupted with white power that made those around fall to their knees. Ace showed Naruto the memory of the ensuing slaughter.

It was automatic. Ace cut through the 12 commandos like a hot knife through butter. It was all over in the blink of an eye. Twelve of the Legonian Army's best laid dead at the hands of the newly awoken Legion.

After that, Ace fled the galaxy. He ran for years, slowly mastering his powers and gathering allies. He was trained by some of the greatest Legacy Masters in the Universe. All of them took a liking to Ace, helping him in any way they could. They all died protecting him when he was cornered by the full might of the Legonian Military. At the age of 14 he met his first love. One of the unique things about Legions in they always come in pairs. They always ended up meeting eventually. It was fate. She had a very different life than Ace.

Her name was Olivia, and she grew up as the only child of a royal Telepath family. She got everything she ever wanted and hadn't struggled with anything until she met Ace. He had broken into her house to get food after evading the local authorities. She was the one that found him and engaged him in a one-on-one duel. It was a rather one sided affair. Olivia was completely outmatched, she had been pampered all her life and when she met her first real competition, she was anything but prepared.

Ace had shown her the error in her ways and opened her eyes to some of the harsh realities they would have to face. While they had the same base abilities, Ace had far surpassed her. She knew that they would also have to stick together to survive. Her family couldn't hide her powers forever. In a knee-jerk decision, she chose to accompany him when he left. She kept in touch with her family, but her life would never be the same.

Ace told his story with a so much compassion. It scared Naruto how quickly Ace's eyes went from love to absolute sorrow. Naruto didn't push the topic after that, he figured something happened that lead to her absence. Whether it was a death or betrayal, Naruto felt like it was a story for another time.

From that day on, Naruto felt much closer to Ace. He would confide in Ace and ask for advice with everything. Ace became more than just a friend to Naruto. He became a brother, someone so close, so trustworthy that Naruto had finally found the one thing he always wanted. He finally had a family.

On his 12th birthday Naruto got his first major test.

 **(FLASHBACK- Naruto's 12** **th** **Birthday)**

Naruto got up a little early this morning, taking a trip down the mountain to a local market to pick up some food for them. When Naruto appeared in the center of the training room, arms full of grocery bags, he was instantly ensnared in chains, restricting all movement. The chains were split between gold and black and looked indestructible.

Initially he believed that his mother had found him after all these years. He knew that his father had sent out search parties to find him, but Ace was used to evading people that were much better trackers than the ANBU. They traveled around the Elemental Nations, meeting people, learning about the world, and making memories that neither of them would forget. From time-to-time, Naruto would think about his old family. He wondered if they missed him at all. He hadn't seen them since they took away he position as heir to his Clan. Naruto didn't regret his choice in leaving. He wished he had met Ace sooner. The thought of his parents and godparents still angered Naruto. He would have to return one day, but for the time being, he was going to stay with Ace and get strong enough to protect those he cares about.

 **(Scene Change: Hidden Leaf Village)**

Things changed the night Naruto left. His family became very polarized. Narumi and Minato felt like they should be doing everything they could to find Naruto, while Kushina felt betrayed by Naruto leaving them. She knew he didn't have the easiest of lives, but for him to abandon his village and his family was against the Uzumaki way. She would rip him a new one when they found him.

After five years, the search for Naruto started to take a back seat to their other responsibilities. The only one that thought of Naruto everyday was Narumi. She always prayed to Kami, asking her to return Naruto to them. She wanted to fix the problems with their family, but Naruto left before she could even get the ball rolling. Mito and Menma seemed to hate Naruto for leaving. They never really nderstood why their parents always kept them separated, but they remember Naruto always trying to see them and be nice to them. Mito tried as hard as she could to forget the good times with Naruto, but she couldn't help but feel empty when she thought about how sad Naruto looked at her fifth birthday party. That wasn't the face she saw. She always saw the happy, goofy older brother that would cheer her up and shower her in love. She would frequently cry at the memory of Naruto, but would never tell a soul.

Menma was different from his sisters. He took Naruto's departure so personally that he developed a hatred for his brother. One day his parents found him burning all the pictures of Naruto and everything Naruto left behind, with tears streaming down his face. His parents tried to get him to talk about his feelings, but Menma closed himself off. He was determined to get stronger. He would find his brother and make the fool regret being born.

The Namikaze-Uzumaki children never wanted to celebrate their birthday anymore. They usually spent the day alone, training or reflecting on themselves. Their eyes had been opened the day Naruto left. They had a new motivation. They were going to find their brother and bring him back, one was or another.

 **(Flashback within a flashback- Minato's Home Office, One Year Before Naruto's departure)**

Minato was at a particularly low point now. In front of him was Jiraya ranting about how the Toad Sage had changed his prediction.

"Minato, we have to do something. The Sage is telling us specifically so we can make sure that we prevent anything bad from happening. The prophecy changed to 'The child of the Yellow Flash and Crimson Death, the child shrouded in darkness will use powers never seen before to mold the world how they see fit.' We can't allow Mito, Narumi, or Menma to be 'shrouded in darkness'. I don't care what we have to do at this point, this take priority." Jiraya was worried. The term "shrouded in darkness" was never used in a good way. He had already talked to Tsunade about making Mito, Narumi, and Menma their only focus. She didn't object. She had gotten very close with Mito and Narumi. Tsunade always wanted a daughter, and Mito and Narui were as close to one as she would get. She was also fond of Menma because of how much he reminded her of Nawaki, her little brother. Menma was always yelling about how he would be the best Hokage ever and make his parents proud. She couldn't help but like the kid and have the desire to keep him and his sisters safe.

Kushina and Minato were torn between what they believed was the fate of the world and their own family. They knew that if they went through with Jiraya's plan it was likely Naruto would cut ties with them. It pained them to see their son alone, only making it worse when he would inquire about his treatment. Minato always tried to let him down easily, his mother and god parents were rather blunt.

Kushina hated herself for putting her son through this, but at the end of the day, if she had to forsake one person to save the world, she knew she had to do it. It would be selfish and irresponsible for her not to do everything she could to ensure the peace her, Minato, Jiraya and Tsunade have always wanted. She put all her hope into explaining it to Naruto one day. She knew that her son would understand and not hold any hostilities towards her and would even agree with her methods, or so she thought.

Tsunade never was fond of Naruto. She wasn't around for the first year he was alive, arriving just a week before the Nine Tails attacked the village to help with Kushina's delivery. She just never got close to him, nor did she really try. She of course was busy, but would put time aside for Mito, Narumi, and Menma. When she looked at Mito she saw her surrogate daughter Kushina and when she looked at Menma she instantly saw Nawaki. Narumi was so kind an gentle, she would instantly melt away Tsunade's hard exterior. The joy that swept through her when she was with the Triplets was exactly what she always wanted. Naruto was never given the same privilege. She just never really was interested in him. She couldn't explain why, but she had brushed him off for years. The thought of it sickened her, but she always remembered the prophecy of the Toad Sage. The day of Nawaki's death she vowed that she would put an end to the senseless violence of the shinobi world. She now had her chance to mold the ones that could bring about the long-sought-after peace. She wouldn't waste this opportunity.

Jiraya was upset. No, he was livid. He never had a family, being a war orphan. His first friends were Tsunade and Orochimaru and there was a time where he would do anything for them. When Orochimaru betrayed the village, Jiraya took it personally. He failed to save his friend. He failed to protect the village. He became the one thing he hated most, a failure. When he got the summons from the Toad Sage and heard the prophecy, his life was given a new purpose. He had always wanted to bring about peace to the world so nobody ever had to go through what he did. He may have failed in the past, but this was something he could not mess up. The fact that those he chose to involve didn't seem as committed to ensuring a lasting peace angered him to no end. He was done keeping his thoughts to himself.

"You are being irrational! Your entire family has the burden to carry, being the family of the hokage. Mito, Narumi, and Menma upheld their duty the day they were born! They saved the entire god damn village for fuck's sake!" Every word he spoke was true. Minato looked up to see his sensei with his palms at the other end of his desk, looking directly at Minato. "Naruto has nothing to do with this. His burden to carry is nothing compared to that of the Triplets! It is your job to do your part. The entire world relies on one of the Triplets. We can't allow one kid to be the downfall of the entire world. He has no part in this and should be treated as such. HE IS NOTHING!"

Jiraya's last words echoed for some time. Nobody really noticed how long they stood in silence, but the silence was interrupted by a calmed Jiraya. "You must understand, the world is in our hands. We can't put ourselves over the fate of our world. I'm sorry, but I won't forsake the world for one brat." Jiraya then turned to leave the room but was stopped by Minato calling out to him.

"I understand sensei. We know what must be done," _I just hope Naruto will forgive us when the time comes…_ He added in his head.

As they filed out of the office, they didn't realize a small blonde boy sitting behind one of the open double doors.

"I-I'm nothing…" Naruto mumbled over and over again as tears fell silently down his face.

 **(FLASHBACK END)**

 **(Scene Change: Naruto and Ace's Home, Land of Iron)**

Naruto grit his teeth just thinking about his family again. He knew that when it was time for him to become a shinobi, he would have to return "home", but he hated the idea of it. It made him feel sick with anger. He had made a promise to Ace that he would give his family a chance when the time came, but Naruto knew he would have little patience for them.

Naruto was interrupted from his musings when he heard Ace say something.

"What? I didn't hear you," Naruto responded, trying to find his brother-figure.

Ace slowly made his way out of the shadows and walked towards Naruto, who was still chained in the center of the room. Ace was wearing a different cloak today. Rather than his usual divine, gold cloak, he now wore a cloak of similar design, except the color scheme was swapped. The vast majority of the cloak was black, with white trimmings, symbol, and accents.

That wasn't the most startling thing though. When Naruto met Ace's eyes, he felt a chill run down his spine. He no longer had the warm golden eyes Naruto had gotten used to. Instead, his eyes were replaced with his Oculus form.

"I said happy birthday, Naruto," His voice sounded slightly on edge, which made Naruto tense.

"Is there any reason as to why you have me chained. Don't tell me you have some sort of bondage kink, Ace," Naruto said with a mischievous grin. Ace caught off guard by the joke, erupted into a fit of laughter. They both laughed for about 15 seconds before Ace gathered himself.

"Naruto, usually I give you some sort of weapon for your birthday present," Ace said in the tone Naruto was used to, smooth and comforting. "Well up until now, you have only had access to half of your true power. For your birthday present, I am going to unlock the second half of your power."

Naruto's face lit up. He had been training his ass off for the past years in order to get strong. He wanted to be able to protect those precious to him, which for the moment was only Ace. He hoped to find a nice girl later in life and start a family, but it was hard for him to make friends. He spent a majority of his time training with Ace, but would also go and mingle with the citizens they came across during their travels _._ He would often times here stories about the Prince and Princesses of the Leaf. He would hear the rumors about him.

"I heard he attacked his family on his sibling's birthday."

"I wonder what the Hokage would do to that little monster."

"He's not a monster. He's just the _Failure of the Leaf_. He is the _Disappointment_. He will never be anything else."

Naruto knew exactly where these names came from. All those years ago, when his family stripped him of his birthright in front of all the important villager and shinobi, it was the same as saying that he wasn't worthy of carrying on their family name. If his own parents didn't see him as good enough, how could he expect the simple-minded villagers to see him any differently. He was always insulted as a kid. Mainly by Sakura Hurano and Kiba Inuzuka, sometimes Menma would also jump in. Naruto planned on returning to the Leaf the year his siblings would be graduating and he would hope that he wasn't placed on a team with anyone that he couldn't stand.

When it came to Menma, he idolized Jiraya. He loved everything about him, even started to take after his perverted tendencies. He started to copy Jiraya, including how he treated Naruto. To put I simply, it was antagonistic. Jiraya saw Naruto as the reason Minato and Kushina might forsake the world. He would snap at him, yell at him, send him away, and even go as far as to insult Naruto. He always heard from Jiraya that it would be hard to put Naruto aside, but that he had to do it, fro the sake of the world. menma took those words to heart.

Nobody knew the truth. They didn't know that at the age of ten, Naruto could take on any Jonin in the village. They were too blind. They were foolish, and they deserved to pay.

For some reason, when he was at his lowest points, he would hear a voice in his head telling him to kill them all. The voice's favorite line was, " **They don't deserve your mercy.** "

To an extent, Naruto agreed with the voice. While he knew that eventually he would be able to fight and defeat his parents and god parents, but the voice seemed to strengthen Naruto. It made him feel lie he could fight the Sanin, Yellow Flash, and Red Death. Ace would often times calm him down, but the voice never went away entirely.

"It's been harder to control your emotions, recently hasn't it?" Ace asked, as if he were reading Naruto's mind. The look on Naruto's face told Ace all he needed to know. "Let me tell you a little about the half of your power that is still sealed."

Ace pulled his hand from his side and a portion of the stone floor shifted upwards, allowing Ace to sit casually on it. "Much like chakra has a Yin and Yang, your power has a light and a dark." Ace then started to release his power, a golden and black aura. The ground around Ace shattered at the slightest release of his power. Naruto was always amazed at the density of Ace's power. Ace made the air feel like it became a solid object whenever he released his power. Naruto was a glad that the chains were holding him up because if they weren't, just standing would have been taxing.

"The gold in my power is the light side. It is what I have been training you to use. This energy focuses on the happy emotions you feel and naturally limits you because of that. The gold energy is called Aura. The black energy consists of all the negative emotions and memories I hold. The black energy is called Killing Intent. KI is much harder to use, because in order to master it, you have to accept all of the bad things that have happened to you over the years. This power is only obtainable to the highest caliber Legion," Ace stopped channeling his Aura/KI but continued to restrain Naruto. He pulled up a chair next to Naruto.

Ace rose from his seat and put his hand on top of Naruto's head. "I think you are ready to conquer these demons. You are going to lift the limit yourself, so on the count of three, I am going to break down the natural barriers your mind had put up. It is going to be a struggle and will likely take a few days. I'm going to restrict you the entire time, not for my safety, but for your own. This power will throw off the balance you have obtained over the past five years, but if you can master this power along with your Aura, you would be the greatest force the Elemental Nations has ever seen." Ace ruffled Naruto's hair a bit then began to channel some KI into his hand.

"Prepare yourself, Naruto. One… Two… Thr-" Naruto only heard half of the last word before he was pulled into his mind.

Naruto opened his eyes to see a plain white room about the size of a football field. He walked towards the center where he saw a figure sitting alone in the darkness. The only source of light in the room was what seemed like a lone spot light that was directly above Naruto. He approached the figure and was shocked when he got a good look at the figure.

The figure was an exact replica of him with a few key changes. For one, the figures eyes were solid black, jet black hair, and weird black markings running up and down his body (Like Akame's during her fight with Esdeath in Akame ga Kill). The figure wore a simple black shirt and white shorts (Like Kaneki when he fought Jason in Tokyo Ghoul). He looked up and made eye contact with Naruto. The movement their eyes met Naruto saw all the hardships he has had in his life. He saw all the times his parents and godparents yelled at him for no reason. He saw all the times he was pushed aside for his younger siblings. He relived every excruciating detail of those encounters and felt the pain of depression he had fought before he met Ace. This time through things felt so much worse. Every new memory he remembered exactly, but hoped that the endings would change. He wished for his parents acceptance, still to this day. Then he felt a shift.

The "Naruto" in front of him got up and started walking towards Naruto. The tears on his face dried up as his eyes shifted to a burning rage. Naruto was unsure of what to do until he heard the voice that had been plaguing him for the past few months.

" **Kill them all. Spare no one. Train, gather strength, then when the time comes, kill everyone who has wronged you.** "

The voice was so sinister that it would make a Kage break into a cold sweat. But to Naruto it seemed welcoming. The voice made Naruto feel a sense of purpose unlike anything he had previously experienced. He understood the figure in front of him. Hell, he agreed with it. His "family" had no right to mistreat him like this. He was done accepting it. He wouldn't lay down and be everyone's bitch anymore. It was about time he did something about the pain that constantly plagued him. A grin etched itself on Naruto's face as he reached for the figure's outstretched hand.

Right as he was about to contact the other "Naruto's" hand, Ace flashed in his mind. Not just Ace, but all the time they had spent together. The times Ace would crack jokes and they would laugh until their stomachs hurt. The times Ace listened to Naruto and comforted him. The times Naruto cried into Ace's chest after he was reminded of how little his family cared about him. The times Ace snuck Naruto through villages and towns so Naruto's location wasn't discovered. The times Ace went out to eat with Naruto to celebrate his accomplishments. Everything, the good times, the bad times, all of it. Naruto remembered how much Ace had done for him and came to a decision.

Rather than grabbing the figures extended hand, Naruto pulled his counterpart into a warm embrace that made the embodiment of darkness stiffen. Naruto then spoke, instantly feeling himself calm down.

"It's okay, we aren't alone anymore. We have Ace. They don't matter anymore," The figure sat in shock for a moment before slowly returned the embrace as tears began to run down both of their cheeks.

"We can dislike them, we can even hate them," something Ace used to say echoed in his head, "The worst type of violence is unnecessary violence. We don't need them to be happy."

At this point, both the figure and Naruto were beginning to fade. They then began to merge into one as Naruto's vision went black. When he awoke, he was lying flat on his back on a small bed, with a wet towel on his head. Naruto tried to stand up, but as he rose from the bed his legs gave out from under him. Ace appeared out of nowhere and caught him before he became acquainted with the stone floor. Naruto looked up and saw Ace had a massive smile on his face. "You did it Naruto. You have accepted your demons, but didn't let them devour you. You will now be able to train and utilize some your KI without losing control. Eventually you will be able to utilize it completely, but it will take years for you to master KI." Naruto matched Ace's smile with one of his own, then closed his eyes and let unconsciousness claim him.

 **(Flashback: A few months before Naruto's 13th Birthday)**

(Scene Change: Land of Demons)

Naruto had been training in KI usage for a few months but was having trouble. Ace had taken Naruto to the Land of Demons on purpose. Few people lived in the country, so Ace thought it would be a good place to train some of the more destructive parts of their power. Naruto seemed increasingly determined to master his power. He was making rapid progress, much to Ace's delight.

 **(Time Skip: Naruto's 13** **th** **Birthday)**

For Naruto's birthday, Ace had given him something similar to a Summoning Contract. Ace was partnered with the King of the Dragons, Rayquaza. Rayquaza was a massive 125 feet long, and towering over Ace and Naruto. After some convincing, Ray agreed to help Naruto find a partner within his ranks. It was not going very well.

Naruto plopped down on the ground with an exaggerated sigh. He had conversed with at least a dozen dragons, but their compatibility never seemed to be optimal. He was about to call it a day when Ray spoke up.

" **Listen child, this next dragon is my eldest son. His name is Drogon** (Yes, the one from Game of Thrones) **. He has never been the kindest creature, but he is extremely powerful and loyal. Just be wary, his respect is not easy to gain,** " King Ray warned the blonde.

In a flash of white hot fire, a giant black-orange dragon appeared in front of Naruto. The figure was easily bigger than the Chief Toad Gamabunta. On his hind legs, Drogon stood about 90 feet tall and his scale were sharp like blades. Around his head were long protruding spikes that were each about a foot long. His presence was crushing, taking Naruto a few moments to adjust. Drogon looked around and then he saw Ace.

" **Ah! Ace, did you finally decide to ditch the old geezer and partner with someone from the next generation. I've been waiting for you to call me you know. You're the only human that has ever bested me in a fight,"** Drogon said as he aimed a cheeky grin at his father. The gold and green King was about to retort when Ace beat him to it.

"My memory must be failing me, but the last time you Ray fought, I could've sworn you only lasted five minutes," Ace grinned as he acted like he was trying to remember something. His grin grew when he heard a low growl coming from Drogon.

Ray cleared his voice, gathering everyone's attention.

" **Actually Drogon, I called you here to see if you would like to partner with Ace's apprentice,** " Drogon looked genuinely interest now. Anybody that his father and Ace approved of must truly be a force to be reckon with. Drogon looked around to find the apprentice his father spoke of, but only found a small child staring back at him.

" **This little shit is really your apprentice Ace?** " Drogon questioned with unmasked confusion.

"Yes, I actually consider him a little brother more than I do an apprentice. I can tell you're not impressed, but I would like to inform you that Naruto, who turned 13 today, has already been training in KI usage for a year," Ace said with a sense of pride that was reserved strictly for himself and those close to him. Drogon's eyes widened a tad as he turned his gaze back to the blonde. He lowered his head until he was eye level with child, then a thought crossed his mind.

Naruto sensing something was wrong calmed himself and started to prepare for whatever might happen next. As he expected, Drogon released a roar that shook the very Earth to its core. He held his roar for about ten seconds then ended with a nice snap that was mere inches away from Naruto's face. Naruto, expecting some sort of test, didn't even flinch. He stared at the dragon in front of him and spoke nonchalantly.

"You apparently don't know much about dental hygiene." Drogon grinned in response and turned back to his father and Ace.

" **I like him.** "

 **(FLASHBACK END)**

Over the years, Drogon and Naruto grew very close. Ace had them train together frequently which helped with their teamwork and allowed their friendship flourish. Naruto and Drogon had more of a sibling relationship now, built on mutual respect and lots of banter. Ace loved when the two went at each other because they came up with amazing insults. The best part about their relationship was no matter how harsh the insults were, there were never any hard feelings between the two. The verbal spars allowed them to constantly battle with each other but not have to deal with any physical injuries. Needless to say, both parties enjoyed the arrangement.

On Naruto's 14th birthday, Ace did something much simpler. He gave Naruto a wristband that would expand over the length of his forearm. On the front was a screen that allowed Naruto to easily manage the many restrictor-seals that Ace had placed on him. The wristband could also be used to contact Ace or Drogon at any time and had any feature Naruto could want (it has all the features an iPhone like, Maps, Notes, Calendar, etc.). The idea behind it amazed Naruto. He never even imagined that technology could progress this far, but he gratefully accepted it. Naruto had come to use this for everything. He would take pictures of his families scrolls with it, write down personal notes in it, and basically use it to make his life easier.

They spent Naruto's last two birthdays traveling to specific places Naruto wanted to. The first place he wanted to go to was the Village Hidden in the Mist. Naruto wanted to see the horrors of war first hand and help as many people as possible. They spent a month in the Land of Water, traveling from Island to Island helping evacuate civilians, healing the injured, and even fighting on more than one occasion. Naruto wanted to fight for the revolution, but Ace said that their location would be discovered if stories about a blonde 15-year-old started spreading to the Leaf. He promised Naruto that he would return to the Hidden Mist and that they would fight for the revolution. Ace and Naruto got to know the leader of the rebellion, Mei Tiemru. She took quite a liking to Ace, often times flirting with him and trying to seduce him. Naruto couldn't help but notice her beauty. She was in her early twenties, had long, auburn hair, and had a beautiful figure that many of her underlings gawked at.

Naruto was surprised when Ace would flirt back with her, but then deny her advances. When he asked Ace, he told Naruto that he wouldn't sleep with her then leave to complete Naruto's training. He had too much respect for Mei and hoped to teach Naruto a thing or two about dealing with the fairer sex. Naruto understood Ace's worries and Mei respected his decision, or at least she did when he promised to return when Naruto had finished his training.

While they were there, Naruto notched his first few kills. They were a group of bandits that were raiding a refugee camp that got separated from the main group during a raid on the military base. He killed them quickly, two with his bare hands, three with his knives, one with ninjutsu, and five with his staff.

Naruto's body moved on its own. He saw the attacks like they were coming in slow motion. Each kill was perfectly executed. No excess movements or missed strikes. As he stood over his fallen foes, Naruto expected to feel sadness or pity for those he killed. He felt nothing of the sort. He noticed Ace walking up and seeing the mess he made. Ace stayed silent for a second, analyzing everything he could from Naruto. Naruto took it as an invitation to speak.

"I'm glad we came here. I needed to see this," Naruto's words were dead silent. He had seen mass murder, rape, theft, and abduction on an enormous scale. He was warned by Ace, but even his words didn't capture the horrors they had seen.

"It's time to get going," Ace's words were soft, allowing Naruto a moment if he needed one. To his surprise, Naruto just nodded and followed him out of the camp. Ace was shocked at how well Naruto took his first kill.

"Naruto, are you sure you're okay?" Ace stopped and looked right at his little brother for a moment. Naruto looked up, making eye contact with the Legion.

"You always told me, 'We must be the change we want to see in the world'. Well the world I hope to create, a world of peace and prosperity is worth the struggle for me," Naruto looked back at the bodies one last time, "They may have been the first to fall by my hand, but they won't be the last."

 **(PRESENT TIME)**

Approaching the gates of the Hidden Leaf, Naruto couldn't help but think about the past year. He spent the year traveling all over the Land of Fire, getting acquainted with people and studying the layout of the land. He trained harder in the past year than he ever had before, reaching a level he was certain few others had.

His power had grown immensely over the years. He had fully mastered Teleportation, and was more than happy with his skills in Telepathy and Telekinesis. Naruto spent a lot of time training with KI still, getting as comfortable with it as possible. He had a firm handle on it for the most part, but often times got sloppy when using it for extended periods of time. He really leaned on Ace to push him through some of the rougher times, which Ace happily did. Naruto's Regeneration was a thing of wonder. He could regrow entire limbs within a minute now, he was also growing more accustom to the pain of regenerating, making him achieve a pain tolerance that sometimes startled Ace.

Ninjutsu wise, Naruto had mastered individual elemental jutsu for Fire and Wind. He was particularly proficient in Water as well, not quite achieving the level of the Second Hokage, but it was definitely a goal Naruto had. He had mastered many Lightning Style Jutsu as well as Earth, but the thing that he was proudest of were the Kekkei Genkai. Though he didn't have it in his blood, Naruto was able to use Ice, Lava, and Scorch style to a level that demanded respect. Naruto was always very secretive with his usage of Wood Style, only training as far away from cities and towns as possible. He knew that the Wood Style was the most sought after Kekkei Genkai in the world, and if there was even a rumor of someone using it, he would have all of the Hidden Villages searching for him.

When it came to his proficiency in the Wood Style, it was hard to judge. The reason the Wood Style was so powerful was for its ability to suppress and even tame the Tailed Beasts. Naruto hadn't gotten the opprotunity to face a jinchuriki yet, but even if his Wood Style wasn't enough, he was more than confident in his other abilities. Whenever he trained in the Wood Style, the destruction to his training ground was ridiculous, but that wasn't exactly a surprise to him, considering the fact that it rips up the ground to summon the Wood. If Naruto had to estimate his capabilities in comparison to the First, he would say somewhere around two-thirds of what the Hashirama was capable of.

Naruto was pulled from his thoughts when Ace smacked him in the side of the head.

"Ow… What the fuck, Ace?" Naruto barked, slightly agitated by the aching he felt in the right side of his head. Ace wore a cheeky grin as he held a hand out.

"I couldn't get your attention. By the way, you lost the bet," Ace's grin grew into a smirk. Naruto's eyes widened for a moment as he opened his mouth to protest, but immediately closed it, instead reaching into his pocket to grab out 10,000 Ryo and handed it to Ace, who gladly pocketed the bill. Ace looked at his brother as they closed in on the grand gates that let you into the Hidden Leaf.

"So, you were thinking about them again, huh?" Ace's words made Naruto flinch a bit. All the progress Naruto had made during their 11 years of training and traveling, but Naruto seemed scared to come back to the Leaf. The only response Ace got was a stiff nod from the blonde.

"There's nothing we can do about it now, so stop worrying," Ace rested his hands in his pockets as they were now only a few feet from the entrance to the village.

"We just have to follow the plan and let the chips fall as they may," Naruto said as they walked through the gate.

 **So that's the chapter...**

 **You got a taste of Ace's backstory and you now know where Naruto stands power-wise. I am going to get started right away on the next chapter which will likely cover all the way through the Second Graduation Exam by the Jonin.**

 **Like I said earlier, I'm trying to communicate with you guys as much as possible. So, please leave a review or PM me if you have any questions or want to share your opinion on the story.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Ace**


	3. Home, Sweet Home

**AN:** Wow, it has been a little over a day since I published the first chapter and I am very happy with the feedback. I am getting PMs and reviews with questions or concerns with the story and I plan on replying to all of them. I will get to that in a moment, but right now I wanted to explain a few things that multiple people brought to my attention.

1\. Naruto and Ace being OP

I did say in the summary that I was gonna make Naruto stronger and smarter. I think a lot of people are forgetting that I will also be give a power boost to others in the story so I can make the fights a bit more epic in scale, so don't worry too much about Naruto. While he is very skilled in his shinobi arts, he has a limit to what he can do with Ace's power. He becomes extremely fatigued when he uses the power and really on will use it as a last resort. His body isn't used to the power and will always be trying to adapt to it. When I say that he has yet to master Aura and KI, I mean that he has yet to get the to his cap. His cap for those powers are much, much lower than Ace's but we will get to him in a moment. I wanted to make Naruto stronger than usual. My theory is if he is spending so much time training and fighting with Ace, he would naturally advance at a pretty remarkable rate. A lot of people are also worried about him being this strong this quickly. I wouldn't be that worried in all honesty. He is currently 17 years old, the same age he was when the Fourth Great Shinobi War ended. Naruto wasn't just gifted these powers. He acquired them over years of hard work and countless hours of training. I mainly skipped over those scenes for the sake of story advancement, because I didn't want to do ten chapters of Naruto getting stronger. Lastly, I plan on speeding up the major plot points, so there won't be a three year time skip after the events of the original Naruto series. so, Naruto won't be constantly training like he could in the anime. Also, a lot of the major power boosts Naruto had in the canon (for example Sage Mode and Nine Tails Mode) aren't available to him in this story. So, yes Naruto is strong. He is supposed to be, but don't worry about him being obscenely overpowered.

Ace is a different story. The reason why Ace seems so ridiculous strong is because he is being compared to Naruto characters. When Ace faces the OCs I have in mind, he will seem a lot more human than he does now. Even then, I remind you that Ace is supposed to have this legendary power that is feared in is homeland. He also has been alive for MUCH longer than anyone in the Naruto universe. Add that to the fact that he has had to fight to survive all his life, and you have a perfect combination for someone whose choices are to get ridiculously powerful or die. So, take Ace with a grain of salt, he will get some attention soon.

2\. Kushina

A few people have messaged me and a few more have left comments about her character being a bit confusing. Kushina will be very prominent in the next few chapters as Naruto settles back into his temporary home. I will try to explain her feelings as much as I can, and if there are any other questions just leave me a comment or PM me.

3\. Harems

I've gotten some mixed feedback on the whole Harem topic. Some seem really gung-ho about the idea, while a few have outright asked me to abandon the idea. I feel like I need to clear a few things up. I don't really want Naruto and Ace walking around and fucking every girl they meet. I want them to build meaningful relationships with each of the girls and eventually get comfortable with each other. The reason I see this as a more viable romantic course is because Ace and Naruto don't really stay in one place for too long. They will meet many people over the course of the story and make different impressions on people. I also feel like having harems allows me to focus on individual confrontations between Ace/Naruto and side characters. So as far as the assignments go, just leave reviews or PM me if you want certain girls to be included. I don't really want to do the whole incest thing and I will not have girls in both harems. So aside from those two things, just let me know what you guys are thinking and don't be afraid to share you ideas with me.

Now to Reviews:

Kc4229: Thank you, very much for the compliment. I hope I can keep up this quality of writing and have you looking forward to each new chapter coming out.

AzureSoulReaper: Thank you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story as well.

1995hzq: That moment of realization is always my favorite part of these types of stories. I am tossing around a few ideas and am hoping to make it a highlight of this story.

Guest 1: Naruto definitely has a desire for vengeance, the only question is what form with that vengeance come it. Will he beat the shit out of those that have wronged him, or will it be a more calm, emotional sort of vengeance? Maybe a combination of both...

Guest 2: Well, I know that in the canon, Tsunade is not Naruto's god mother, but I also don't remember his parents being alive or him having three siblings. It's a spin I put on the story, get over it. If you really wanna get technical, I made Tsunade more involved with this story, so that relationship with Kushina might have led them to have the same kind of relationship as Jiraya and Minato. But considering how rash your comment was, I am willing to bet you didn't even think of that.

ratedn777: So you were one of the few that asked me about Ace's power level. For the most part, I addressed your concerns with Ace in the above paragraph. As for the other things you pointed out about Ace, he hasn't been the focus. Most of the story has been from Naruto's point of view. He completely idolizes Ace and trusts him unequivocally. Ace is far from perfect, and his tragic backstory has a lot to do with that. Naruto, while he does no a good amount about Ace's life, doesn't know everything. We will have a few parts from Ace's point of view as we move along, but Naruto will be at center stage as he interacts with the canon characters. Ace is far from a no-it-all. He has made many mistakes in his life and learned from them. I do appreciate the feedback on Ace, keep me posted on what you think of him as the story goes on. Next is the whole prophecy thing. A few people had a similar concern as you but I retort with this... Jiraya worried quite a bit about the prophecy in his younger years. At first he thought Nagato would be the child of prophecy, but after his supposed death, Jiraya shifted that title to Minato. Jiraya only had that undying faith in Naruto after spending a few years with him. They bonded in a very similar way to Jiraya and Minato. In this story, Jiraya didn't have that chance. He got a prophecy later in his life, so his actions were a bit delayed. I am glad that you liked the story for the most part and I appreciate the feedback. Please keep letting me know what you think.

ROTH963: I think I talked about all of your worries in the prior paragraph about Naruto and Aces power level. If you have any other questions or concerns, just let me know. Thank for the review.

Light 'Kira' Yagami: Yes, I think it is safe to say that Ace is pretty powerful. Thank you fro the praise on the second chapter. If I am being honest, I was a little worried about cramming that much content into one chapter. For the most part people are happy with how I did it, so that's a relief.

Banjo the Fox: Thank you, I am glad that you like the story so far. I tried to use references so that way it is easier for people to envision what I am describing. And if they are still having trouble with it then they can just look it up. I hope it doesn't get too unbearable.

Xedinth: Thank you. I think I already addressed the harem concern earlier, but if you want to make a suggestion then go right ahead and leave a review or PM me. As for Yugito and Samui, I will tell you Yugito will fall fro Ace, Samui is free game.

KamiKagezryuuketsu: I hope you will give the story a chance . Most stories have an explanation at the top so I dont understand why you are so angry about mine.

OmegaDelta: Thanks. It is hard for me to write them like this since I have to give them a motive, but yet I don't want to go completely over the top. I hope I have you questioning your opinions of them as the story progresses on. I want to make the adults complex and multilayered. Let me know how I do on that.

Sovereign2808: I already messaged you in regards to your review. I hope I explained everything adequately. If you ave any other questions or concerns, just let me know.

UnsanMusho: I already talked a bit about Kushina in the first few paragraphs, let me know if you have any other concerns.

Wahyubison: I think you might be onto something.

Neostardustdragon101: There is nothing wrong with that train of thought.

Vergil234: This chapter will shine some light on that. I would rather not spoil it for you.

 **Chapter 3: Home Sweet Home**

Ace and Naruto walked through the gate slowly, taking in the scene around them. The Leaf hadn't changed that much since Naruto had been gone. The buildings were still modest. The roads were still crowded with merchants, civilians, and shinobi alike.

Naruto couldn't help but smile at the scene. Sure, he hated the people here, but the idea of people living together in a state of relative peace was what the First Hokage fought so hard for. Naruto respected the First more than anybody, minus Ace. Naruto wanted to bring the peace to the worldnand ensure that the horrors he saw in the Hidden Mist were ended. He was smart enough to know that what he wanted wouldn't come easy. For a century, the five major villages have waged wars against one another. Many had lost loved ones at the hands of enemy shinobi, and those feelings don't just disappear. Naruto knew he would have his work cut out for him, but he was willing to dirty his hands. Lives would have to be taken for him to achieve his goal, and he was more than willing to do it himself.

Naruto look up at the Great Stone Faces, gritting his teeth when he got to his father's. They were heading to see him now, Ace had convinced him that it would be better to deal with things now. Naruto took a few more step when he was stopped by Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane. The two were responsible for guarding the entrance. The chunin walked up to Ace and Naruto, curious about the blonde that had just walked past them.

Izumo's eyes widened for a moment before a stunned Kotetsu spoke.

"N-Naruto… Is that you?" Kotetsu's voice below even a whisper.

Izumo tried to speak, but was unable to. The lost son of the Hokage had just walked through their gate after 11 years of having the best tracking ninja search for him. Naruto's face was a so painfully similar to Minato's. It was like the Hokage himself was staring them down. The shifted uncomfortably after Naruto did not reply. Before they could speak again. Naruto looked up, making eye contact with them.

"I don't wish to be disturbed. Go sit down and tell no one you saw me," Naruto's voice was deathly calm as he used his telepathy to control the two. He watched as the color in Kotetsu and Izumo's eyes faded and the nodded silently. They then got out of his way and went to sit back down at their booth by the entrance.

Ace turned to Naruto, who was covering his hair with a hood. He gave Naruto a questioning look that didn't go unnoticed by the blonde.

"If we are doing this, then we are doing it on our terms," Naruto's words stern and reinforcing. Ace gave a firm nod as he put his hood up too. They made their way through the village, the Hokage tower their destination.

(Perception Change: Mito)

It was a beautiful day. The sun was high in the cloudless sky and the birds were singing their beautiful songs. Mito lied in her bed by the window looking up at the sky. She had graduated just yesterday and was on break for a week while the genin teams were decided. Her parents were both busy setting up the teams and gave her, Menma, and Narumi the day off.

Mito had grown up into a young heartthrob. She now stood at five-feet, four-inches tall and had her mother's read hair running down to her waist when it wasn't up in a ponytail. Her body was very toned from all of her training, giving her a desirable flat stomach and stunning, toned legs. He womanly features had developed over the years as well.

Mito had a 34-C, bra size and was often ogled by some of her classmates. She wasn't lacking downstairs either. She truly got her mother's figure, as her butt was another point of interest for the boys, and some girls, in her class. Her model like body was often hidden behind baggy clothes. She didn't actively seek recognition for her looks. Instead, she wanted to be praised when she earned it.

Mito was currently wearing a plain white T-shirt and green gym shorts, her luscious red hair set free. As she lied on her bed looking out the window, her mind began to wander.

It was on slow days like today that Mito's mind drifted towards Naruto. No matter how much she tried to hate him, no matter how much she wished he would just be found dead somewhere, she would instantly regret having those thoughts and fall into a pit of self-loathing.

Mito was by far the smartest of the Triplets. Her father was always praising her analytical skills, comparing her eye for detail to the Sharingan. She laughed at the thought. No matter how attentive she was, she could never hold a candle to the Uchiha's bloodline. She was the first to realize why Naruto left. The more and more she thought about it, the clearer it became. She remembered all the happy times with Naruto. The jokes, pranks, stories, and tickle sessions that would make her smile for days on end. She never saw the other part of Naruto.

It took Naruto leaving for Mito to finally notice the gap between him and their parents. She thought back to any time the family was together. It was always one of the Triplets that chose were to eat, what toy to get, or what they were going to do. Every time Naruto suggested an idea, he was ignored or rejected. She hardly remembered the times Naruto tried to share his opinion. Instead she remembered years of Naruto staying quiet. He would rather go along with everything than go through the pain of continuous rejection.

It wasn't just small things either. Mito remembered when Naruto turned five and asked to begin his shinobi training. He asked as nicely as Mito had ever heard. She can't recall a time when her, Narumi, or Menma were ever that respectful and humble when making a request.

It's not like that changed the outcome.

Naruto was rejected like always, his parents coming up with excuse after excuse each time Naruto asked for help. She never understood why, until recently.

(Flashback: Two Years Ago)

Mito was up late studying for her exam over the Second Great Ninja War, when she heard yelling coming from downstairs. Following the sound, she saw the doors open to her father's office, Jiraya, Tsunade and her parents in a heated discussion.

"It's been nine years! If he hasn't been found dead yet, he likely found out how to take care of himself," Jiraya said looking right at Kushina and Tsunade. The two women seemed ready to slap him, but Minato spoke before they got the chance.

"Sensei! My son is out there, by himself! He left because he felt like he wasn't loved. How can you stand there and not care about his wellbeing," Minato spat.

"Don't you fucking say that!" Jiraya shrieked as he slammed his fist on the wall, cracking many parts of it, "It's my fault this happened. I was the one that brought you the prophecy all those years ago. I should have had faith in you like I always have."

A lone tear ran down Jiraya's cheek, shocking Mito. She had never seen Jiraya cry other than when he was called a pervert or rejected by women.

"I still remember the day you told me you were going to name him after my character," Silent tears now ran down his face as he played the moment over again in his mind, "It's the proudest I've ever been. When I got to hold him for the first time, I knew it was my job to protect him from harm and help him realize his goals in any way I can."

Jiraya wiped away some tears as he dawned a sad smile.

"I was the one that pushed him away. This is all my fault," Tsunade tried to stop him, but Jiraya was now starting at the last picture of Naruto in the house. One of Naruto in his mother's arms, with his father to the right and Jiraya grinning like an idiot to the left.

"I fucked up. I fucked up beyond fixing, and I'm sorry for dragging you all down with me," Jiraya tried his hardest to keep it together, clenching his fists so hard he drew blood, "I know I don't deserve to see him again, but if I could just talk to him. I need to tell him it's my fault. This whole thing is my fault. I got you all worried about the damn prophecy and look and what that did."

Jiraya looked down at his hands as he opened his palms. Blood dripped onto the floor along with the tears that fell from Jiraya's face. His gaze never left his hands as he clenched his fists one last time.

"I just don't know what to do. We have had the best trackers known to man looking for him for the past 11 years and they have barely gotten more than rumors and possible sightings. He doesn't want to see us again, and it's all my fault," Jiraya walked back to a seat in the corner of the room. He slouched deep in the seat, letting out silent sobs as his regret and misery took center stage.

"It wasn't just you," A teary-eyed Kushina said as she leaned against the wall, "It was me."

Kushina's words were so faint Mito could barely hear them.

"I was worse than all of you. I'm an Uzumaki. Family is supposed to come before anything else, and I turned my back on my own child," Tears flowed freely down Kushina's features as she tried to continue, "I failed as a mother. I failed as an Uzumaki. I deserve this. I deserve misery and pain and anguish."

Mito saw he mom collapse to the ground, still holding the picture of Naruto from the desk. She saw her father go to comfort her mother, but nothing seemed to be working.

Mito listened to her talk about Naruto. She could barely make out what she was saying through the sobs that racked her figure. Tsunade blamed herself for the missing child as well. She spent many nights drinking, trying to forget. But this was another life she had lost. She wondered if losing Dan and Nawaki was a form of prior punishment from an all-knowing God. As Tsunade finished up, Mito watched them all sit in silence.

After a few moments, they made for the exit, making Mito scramble into a hiding spot. She waited there for a few moments until she thought everyone had left. She slowly climbed out from behind a potted plant in the corner, only to hear nearly silent sobbing coming from her father's office. She turned to see her father, balling his eyes out as he started at the picture of Naruto. She could almost feel the pain he did as she noticed the tears beginning to form in her eyes. She ran to her room as fast as she could and cried herself to sleep that night.

(Flashback End)

Mito rolled over, hugging her pillow tight as she thought about her brother. She remembered Naruto's infectious laugh and brilliant smile. She didn't see much of either one in the last year he was there. She was pulled from her thoughts as she heard Narumi open the door.

"Nee-chan, get dressed. Tou-chan wants to see us in the Hokage Office as soon as possible," Narumi said in her usual bubbly tone.

Mito looked at her sister for a moment. Narumi was your textbook definition of a bombshell. Her slender figure was the fantasy of many, her 36-C bra size was filled out by her well-developed chest. Her blonde hair was pulled into her usual pigtails that went a little past the shoulder. She wore a mesh undershirt that she showed a tad because of her unzipped white and gray Namikaze Jacket she was wearing over it. She wore gray ANBU pants and had medical tape around her left thigh. She was two inches shorter than her older sister, but Narumi was much more outgoing. She often times kept the attention off of Mito.

Mito gave a grunt in response and got up to get ready.

 _What the hell does Tou-chan want…_

(Scene Change: Hokage Office, a few minutes prior)

Minato, Jiraya, Kushina, and Tsunade were all working diligently. They were planning out the genin teams and had hit quite the wall.

Kushina had proposed the idea of being the jonin for the triplets' team a few months back, which was pretty well received. She had gotten stronger over the years of training the Triplets, and she also was able to restrain them if the Nine Tails were to take over.

Minato hated this part of his job. Every detail had to be taken into account. If he made a wrong choice now, a team could fail, or worse, die. He had been at it for six hours so far. It was time for a break. He looked up from the file he was looking at and leaned back in his chair. He took a deep breath and watched those around him work for a moment.

Next to Minato was Kushina, sitting on the floor looking over the files of a potential team. Minato took a moment to admire his wife's beauty. The years had done little to drag her down, not looking a day over 30. He was in a very similar state. He hadn't changed much over the years, but the occasional grey strand could be seen in his mop of yellow. For his first years in office, Minato relied heavily on the guidance of the previous Hokage, Hiruzen. When Hiruzen died fighting the Nine Tails, Minato became much more stressed. Not only did he have three more kids at home that just happened to be Jinchuriki, but he lost the wise advice of the Professor.

Minato looked to his left and saw Tsunade sitting across from Jiraya. Tsunade was sifting through applicants for her Medical Ninjutsu Program, while Jiraya was going through Menma, Mito and Narumi's files, apparently looking for something.

Minato was about to get up when he heard a knock at the door. Shizune opened the door in a panicked hurry. She immediately got everyone's attention, Minato being the first to address her.

"What's wrong Shizune? We weren't to be bothered unless it's dire," Minato seemed more concerned than angry as Shizune tried to calm herself.

"A man showed up and said he had information on Naruto," Shizune's words stopped everything in the room. It had been years since they had anything received anything usable in the search for Naruto. The most they got were whispers and far-fetched rumors. As much as he wanted to send the man away, Minato couldn't bring himself to do it. What if this was the lead they needed to finally find him? They could at least spare a few minutes to hear this person out. Minato gave a slight nod as everyone cleaned up the office a bit. Tsunade, Kushina, and Jiraya stood behind him while her remained in his seat behind his desk.

A few moments later, Shizune walked in with two men. The first was a bit taller than the other. He had short brown hair that was a bit shaggy on top. His face was void of any fat, as were his exposed arms. His arms had a few major scars snaking around, but the man's face was clean. He had brilliant golden eyes that immediately caught everyone's attention. The man wore a black cloak with golden detailing. The cloak was so dark, it seemed to suck in all light around it. Under the cloak the man wore a dark grey, skin-tight muscle shirt that clung to the man's figure. His legs were covered by black sweat pants and his feet with black combat boots.

To Minato, the man looked suspicious. He wore a smirk that put everyone on edge and carried his weapons into the meeting. Minato tensed a bit as the man walked forward, his smirk turning into and oddly warm smile.

"I'm Ace, thank you for taking the time out of your day to see me," Ace's smile barely dropped as he eyed everyone in the room.

Kushina was giving him a hard look, like Ace expected. Minato, despite hoping for the best, was still wearing his professional neutral expression. Jiraya was more optimistic for the meeting, as was Tsunade. No one had come forth with information about Naruto like this in years. The times they did have face-to-face meetings with someone, they usually got a decent tip, or a reliable sighting. Believe it or not, not many people wanted to get in front of four S-Class shinobi and waste their time.

Eyes shifted to the other cloaked figure standing behind Ace. The figure was completely concealed, but didn't set off any alarm seals as he walked in the room, so he mustn't be carrying any weapons other than the ones on his back, two swords just like Ace. The figure didn't speak, but all the experienced shinobi in the room could tell that figure was tense. He was giving out an unstable presence that put everyone on high-alert. They could only see he bottom of his face, which didn't exactly give away his identity. They were ready for a fight at a moment's notice, but their thoughts were interrupted by Ace, who cleared his throat.

"So, like I'm sure your assistant told you, I came to talk about Naruto," Everyone before Ace flinched at the mention of the boy. Ace could see guilt rush over them like a tsunami.

"Yes," Minato said, his cold blue eyes hardening, "And make sure this is worth our time, this is not an issue we take lightly."

Minato noticed the slightest of shifts in the figure behind Ace. Kushina noticed it as well, but the Sannin focused on Ace. Ace took a step forward, his smirk never leaving.

"It's been around 11 years, hasn't it?" Ace's question only merited a stern nod from Minato, while Jiraya, Tsunade, and Kushina seemed to prickle at Ace's tone. Ace took another step forward, only a foot or two from the desk, "I've heard about his departure, but I wanted to hear it from you all. What happened?"

Kushina snapped. The smirk on Ace's face made her blood boil. She hated when people wasted their time, especially when it came to Naruto, and from the looks of it, this asshat just wanted to piss them off. She clenched her fists and spoke in an agitated tone.

"That's none of your business, now do you have anything worthwhile to say, or do you just plan on wasting our time," Kushina's agitation seemed to make Ace happy. His smirk grew as he let out a small chuckle.

"No need for hostility here. Your temper definitely live up to the stories, Red Death. I don't think I've ever pissed someone off that quickly before," Ace left his smile up, knowing it was getting under the skin of everyone present.

Minato was about to send him out, when Ace spoke again.

"I mean, I've only heard his side of the story. I thought it would be unfair to not at least hear your side before I make any assumptions," Ace's words made their eyes shoot open. His smirk widened again. Kushina shot out from her spot behind the desk and grabbed Ace by the collar of his cloak.

"Where did you see him?" Kushina had lost all sense of restraint as she let question fly one after another, "Was he okay? Where was he heading?"

Ace couldn't help but let out another chuckle at Kushina. Ace took a breath as swiped her hands away, making everyone in the room get ready for a fight. Ace acted annoyed as he straightened out his cloak. He looked Kushina dead in the eye.

"I think your questions should be asked to my partner here, not me," Ace's words stopped everyone for a moment. There was a second where his words sunk in, followed by all attention shifting to the cloaked figure standing about five feet behind Ace.

As if in slow motion, Naruto pulled down his hood, revealing his mess of spiky blonde hair to his "family". Everyone lost their breath as they started at Naruto. He dawned a cold expression as his sea blue eyes analyzed every detail of his "family".

Minato's eyes were wide as dinner plates as he shot out of his chair. He completely forgot about Ace for a moment as he tried to get around his desk. Jiraya couldn't move. His mouth hung agape, his eyes wide. His knees became weak, barely able to hold his weight. Tsunade wasn't any better. Upon seeing her godson, she lost her breath. After all these years, all the failed attempts at locating the lost blonde, he just shows up. She stumbled forward, stabilizing herself with the couch closest to her. She let out a few tears as she started to mumble to herself, no one paying attention to her. All focus was dedicated to Naruto, for the first time since the Triplets came along.

"N-Nar…" Kushina began before she dashed towards Naruto, wanting nothing more than to hug her eldest and never let go. As she closed in, she saw Naruto's eyes shift to her. Her vision blurred as tears ran down her face. She could see nothing else but her son as the biggest smile imaginable dawned on her features. As she made the final lunge towards her son, he disappeared.

Kushina was confused for a moment, thinking it was some sort of joke, but she turned to see her son now standing by Ace's side, looking down at her in disgust. Tears overflowed as she collapsed to her knees. Everyone, minus Ace was shocked at his display, but that took a backseat to his reaction towards his mother.

Ace's smirk fell as he turned back to Minato. He took in the reactions of the Sanin and Hokage, then Naruto spoke.

"Don't fucking touch me," Naruto's voice hardly more than a growl. Hate and anger oozed off of him as he stared at his mother.

Minato stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't expect Naruto to be happy whenever they found him, but he also didn't expect this. The more he thought about it, they deserved nothing less. They were fools to think him coming home into their open arms was even remotely a possibility.

The Sanin were in a daze. They expected Naruto to be angry, they expected him to want nothing to do with them, but watching him avoid his mother's attempt at physical contact after over a decade of being gone made the reality ring home. Naruto's feelings towards them were abundantly clear and they had no idea what that meant. They knew this reaction was probable, but even expecting it did nothing to shield them from the pain they felt.

Kushina stood there horrified. He knees felt weak, her breath choppy. She let out even more tears as she collapsed under the gaze of her oldest. He looked absolutely revolted by her attempt. In her head, she knew she deserved this, but for those few moments she saw him, she allowed herself the slightest spark of hope, only for it to be smashed by the reality. She lost it and continued to cry in her heap on the ground.

Naruto looked down at her with cold eyes for a moment before he spoke.

"What you are feeling right now doesn't even compare to what you all put me through," Naruto's words cut deeper than any blade could. He felt the sadness coming from his mother, but wasn't affected by it. He took a step forward, so he would be even with Ace and faced his father.

"Call the Triplets, I'm not saying this twice."

(Time Skip: A few minutes)

(With the Triplets)

Mito was conflicted. She wanted to enjoy her day off, but she didn't actually have anything to do. She didn't know what to expect from her father's summons. She assumed it was something to do with the upcoming team assignments, but she had a weird feeling about the meeting.

As her, Menma, and Narumi walked down the street, countless civilians and shinobi came up to them, congratulating them for passing the Genin Exam. Mito and Narumi were very humble, kindly replying to everyone.

Menma was a different story.

Menma started off very humble, thanking anyone that congratulated him. After the first dozen or so, he grew rather annoyed. He knew the Genin Exam was a joke among the higher-level shinobi. The civilian council had pushed to lower the standards for years, and to say they accomplished their goal would be putting it lightly. They made it to where it was almost impossible to fail the damn thing. The only ones that came out of the Academy that were worth a damn thing were those that came from a shinobi family. Menma knew that the villagers were just trying to kiss his ass and eventually started blowing off their praise.

Menma had grown a lot over the years. He now stood at a solid five-feet, eight-inches tall. He had a slender figure like his father and the same messy blonde hair. He wore an old chunin vest he found in the attic and a long-sleeve blue undershirt. On his legs were a pair of navy-blue pants and his usual shinobi sandals. The most notable thing Menma wore was a cloak the had _Future Hokage_ printed vertically down his spine. He modeled the cloak after his father's, except the color of the detailing was blue. Menma received a lot of attention from the girls in his class, whether it was for his looks, skill, or the fact that he was the son of the Hokage, he wasn't sure.

Menma looked over at his older sister.

Mito was in her civilan clothes, a red hoodie with the Uzumaki swirl on the center, black sweatpants, and a pair of tennis shoes. She had her hair tied back in a ponytail like normal, but she still was very pretty.

The way the guys would talk about Mito and Narumi bothered Menma. They would often let their gazes linger on his sisters for a little longer than Menma was comfortable with, and always talk about their appearances in lewd ways. Menma had beaten up more than one fool that tried to get handsy with his sisters, as if they needed the protection.

The three siblings finally made it to the way up the stairs to their father's office. Outside the door was a very rattled Shizune, who didn't seem to notice them. They tried to talk to her, but she seemed lost in her own world. Not being able to get her attention, they all shared a shrug and walked in the office.

Mito couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

(Scene Change: Inside the Hokage Office)

The room was silent after Minato ordered the ANBU to go find his kids. A few attmpts at conversation were made, none of which were accepted by the eldest of the Namikaze-Uzumaki children. Unsure of what to do, Kushina, Minato, and the Sannin just waited for the Triplets to show up.

Naruto and Ace were sitting across from each other on the couches previously occupied by the Sannin. Ace had his arms behind his head as he lounged out, his right foot up on the couch Naruto was sitting on. Naruto was sitting with his eyes closed and his arms crossed over his chest as he waited.

After what felt like an eternity of painful silence, the door to the office opened up to show the rest of the Namikaze-Uzumaki family. As the Triplets walked in, it took them a moment to realize Naruto and Ace. They first noticed their still crying mother being comforted by their father and a very shaken pair of Sannin mumbling to themselves, as if they were trying to calm themselves down.

Narumi was the first one to glance to the side and see the mess of blonde hair. Her heart seemed to stop for a moment as she gasped for air. Her siblings noticed her reaction and followed her gaze. When they saw their brother sitting there facing them, they had very different reactions.

Mito stopped as if someone hit her pause button. She didn't blink or even breath as she stared at Naruto. She quickly rubbed her eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on her. When she realized that it was in fact Naruto sitting there, her brain shut down. Everything she wanted to say, everything she wanted to do overwhelmed her. She went was both happy and angry. She was excited, yet worried. She couldn't gather herself as she just started to shake violently as her internal struggle went on.

Menma had a much different reaction. He saw his brother sitting there, like he would rather be any place in the world, and Menma immediately filled with anger. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists so hard his arms were shaking. He suddenly felt a surge of Nine Tails' chakra flood into his system and he charged right at his brother's seated form.

Menma moved too fast for anyone to react. All the adults could do was watch as Menma charged right at his brother, his right fist cocked back and ready to claim his brother's jaw. As Menma got closer to his brother, he heard his mother and sisters cry out for him to stop. He ignored them, his focus on making Naruto experience the pain Menma did when his brother left.

In one swift movement, Naruto opened his eyes and parried Menma's punch, then countered with a right hook to Menma's cheek that shook the entire room. Menma flew helplessly through the air until he crashed into the wall, next to the door. The force of the punch nearly sent Menma through the wall, but the protective barrier seals surrounding the office stopped him. The wall had cracks running all around the center of impact.

Menma pulled himself out of the crater in the wall with a throaty growl and spat out a large sum of blood. He was about to charge Naruto again when his father appeared in between them and stopped his charge. Menma continued to push for a few moments, especially when he saw the bored expression his brother had on. Minato quickly tightened the seal on Menma to cut off the flow of Nine Tail's chakra. The sudden halt of power and adrenaline made Menma feel light headed. He was suddenly met with a rush of pain from his left cheek. He already felt a nice bruise forming as he spit out some more blood.

Naruto was standing now, Ace still seated as if nothing interesting happened at all.

"Ahhh, you gotta love family reunions," Ace said offhandedly. Naruto let out a chuckle as he walked up to Ace.

"You got that right," Naruto then extended a hand towards Ace, "Pay up bitch, I told you he would attack me."

Ace let out a lighthearted sigh and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small stash of Ryo and handed it to Naruto.

"Yeah, yeah," Ace took a moment to look at Menma who was now being tended to by Tsunade, "Nice punch."

Naruto let out a snort of laughter before he heard a sniffle come from behind him. He turned to see his sisters still standing in the same position. Both had tears rolling down their face, Narumi a little more expressive than Mito. When he made eye contact with them, Narumi suddenly sprinted towards him.

Unlike with Menma, she was running with her arms outstretched, much like her mother had done. Naruto was at a loss for a moment. He didn't know whether to dash away like he did with his mother or allow his sister to hug him. He would have had time to react, but he was caught off guard by Narumi's presence. She had one of the purest, kindest auras he had ever felt. That moment of hesitation was all Narumi needed as she slammed into her brother at full speed, making Naruto take a few steps back to keep from falling over.

Naruto was stunned for a moment as he sat there, his sister crushing him in a hug and crying into his chest. He wanted to push her off, but couldn't sense any negative emotion directed at him, from her at least. She was full on sobbing into Naruto's chest. The tears only flowed harder as she felt Naruto awkwardly warp an arm around her. He couldn't explain why he did it. He just did. As much as he wanted to be mad, he couldn't bring himself to hurt Narumi. He remembered her always following him around when they were little, constantly wanting to play with him and hang out with him. Even when their parents began to focus on the Triplets, Narumi would always go out of her way to spend time with Naruto.

Naruto didn't have the same feeling of hatred and disgust when he saw Narumi. Instead, he saw an innocent girl that was hurt by his actions, no matter how justified they may have been. When he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel guilty for what he did. While he hated his parents, god parents, and wasn't exactly adored by his other siblings, he couldn't imagine how Narumi must have taken him leaving.

Narumi turned to face Ace, tears still pouring down her beautiful face. She tried to calm down for a moment as she had something to say.

"T-thank you. Thank you for bringing my Ni-chan back to me," The blonde was overwhelmed with sobs again as she held onto Naruto like her life depended on it.

Mito stood by the door, not having moved mush since she saw her brother. She was crying silently, in joy or anger she couldn't tell. A part of her wanted to do the exact same thing as Narumi and cling desperately to her brother, the other part wanted to do what Menma did, except hope for a better outcome. While part of her felt jealous for her expressive attitude and willingness to put herself out there, especially when it seemed to win over her estranged brother, she was glad at her more reserved nature, because she might have been spared the bone-crushing punch Menma took.

Mito was so unsure of her emotions, she was disturbing the Nine Tails within her. The Nine Tails looked through the bars of her cage to see the eldest sibling looking back at him. The strongest of the Tailed Beasts noticed something was off about the boy, but knew that with the emotional strife his container was in, that it would be best to let things play out for the moment. He could enquire about her brother at a later date.

Kushina watched her daughter and son with great envy. She knew that she was largely to blame for Naruto leaving in the first place and that she deserved every part of how he treated her, but all she wanted right now was to hug her son like Narumi was doing. She had calmed down for the most part, not wanting to be an emotion wreck in front of her kids, but was still letting a constant stream of tears run down her face. She stood next to her husband, who had sat back down in his chair behind his desk.

Menma was shrugging off the last of Tsunade's healing, annoyed with how his sister had immediately forgiven their brother. He went to stand next to Jiryaya off to the right of his father's desk. His father then signaled for Narumi and Mito to join them on that side of the desk. Mito made her way over and slowly and reluctantly Narumi let go of Naruto. As she walked over, she wiped off her face with some tissues she picked up from her father's desk. She found a spot next to her mother. Her mother pulled her into a quick hug while Mito stood off to the left side of the group, obviously lost in her own thought.

Ace let out a groan as he stretched, eventually getting up from the couch and standing a little behind Naruto. They stood at their position in front of the desk and eyed Naruto's family. A smile stretched across his features.

"Home, sweet home, huh?" Ace joked.

"Ugh, this is gonna be a pain in the ass," Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose for a moment before he looked back at his family, "Listen up, I'm not saying this shit twice…"

And that's Chapter 3...

I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you though of the chapter, either leave Reviews or PM me. I will respond to all of them by the time I release the next chapter.

Speaking of the next chapter, I hope to have it out tomorrow. I know I said this one would cover a bit more than just Naruto seeing his family again, but I really wanted to paint the picture fro you all and spend as much time as I needed on it.

So, thank you for all the support. I will see you guys soon.

Ace


	4. Chapter 4: Questionable Choices

Hey guys, I'm gonna keep the author's notes pretty short this time. I am very thankful for the support this Fic is getting, and I also appreciate yo guys taking the time to leave me reviews or send me PMs letting me know what you think. I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story, I will do my best to up the quality as we go.

This chapter takes place within the Hokage Office. It is also from Ace's perspective. Naruto and Ace will be sharing their thoughts towards Naruto's family, which should pave the way fro some nice conflict in the future. I will tell you, this is a rather slow chapter. I wanted to spend a lot of time on this meeting and try to get everything right.

Let me know what you think of the chapter.

Real quick, I will be for sure posting a few more chapters in the next couple days. The next chapter will cover Team Placement and start the Gato Mission. So, you can expect a good amount of fighting in the near future.

Reviews:

Guest: Thank you. I want to spend some time developing the relationships in this Fic, but I really like the two ideas you had.

Lucian Naruto: I'm not sure animosity towards the Toad Sage would be the best idea. The Sage trusted Jiraya with the Prophecy, he had nothing to do with Naruto actually being neglected. I might send him to Mt. Myaboku for a chapter or two, but that wold be in the far future.

Guest 2: Thanks. I will be picking up the pace of the plot here in the next few chapters.

SoloHellZro: Thanks. I will be updating pretty consistently for the next few days. I am trying to get this story off the ground as quickly as possible.

Greer123: Thanks. Ace and Naruto will have words for Naruto's family.

Neostardragon101: It was nice writing that part. I think Menma will be explained a bit in this chapter.

Spectrechilypepper: I'm glad you like my ideas for the harems and the idea of a stronger Naruto. Legacy was one of my favorite stories I have read on this sight. I would love for this story to reach that level, but I don't wanna get ahead of myself. There is a lot of "action" in this chapter. The fight scenes are coming in the next chapter.

Gammagyro: I will look into some of those options, I just don't wanna go super overboard with the Harems. I might use your Typhon idea. We will see.

Xedinth: It's nice to see your comments again. I have something fun planned for when Yugito meets Ace, and it might be sooner than you think. I hope Ace grows on you. This chapter will help with that a bit.

JxA fnn 2000: I plan on having them both be with Naruto. Thanks.

Kc4229: I'm glad you are able to connect to my writing like this. I hope I can keep up the quality. Ace is Ace, you'll get to know him a bit in this chapter.

OmegaDelta: We will get their reactions in a bit. Right now Naruto had years of built up frustration he needs to get out.

Guest 3: I wouldn't say that it is unoriginal. This is just the tip of the Iceberg, so I would like to think that what I have in store hadn't been done yet. I just need to set the stage, and my options are rather limited when it comes to this story type.

Wahyubison: I think he will make his feelings clear in this chapter.

UnsanMusho: You asked for it, I answered with this chapter.

Thanks for all the reviews. I will continue to answer them, so just go ahead and let them fly. The more feedback I get, the better.

 **Chapter 4: Questionable Choices**

Ace had spent the last hour or so on the sideline. He watched the Sannin, Triplets, and Naruto's parents as Naruto gave a brief summary of their time together. Over the years, Ace had grown to hate these people. Everything he was capable of, but the most basic desires in life always evaded him. The memories of a happy family were distant in his mind as he watched the dysfunctional batch in front of him.

As Ace listened to Naruto talk, he couldn't help but think about what he would tell his parents if he could see them one last time. Would he tell them about his powers, or his goals?

What would they think of him?

Would he crack jokes or be emotional?

It was hard to tell.

Ace usually used humor as a way to deal with the hardships he had faced. If he could make people happy, if he could make people laugh, Ace would get to experience happiness through them. It was very desirable after years of miserable islation. Throughout his life, every time things look up for him, everything fell apart. On more than one occasion Ace had contemplated ending it. Ending the pain. Ending the sadness. He came close a few times. He slit his wrists at the age of seven, only for them to heal. He threw himself of a building at six. His organs grew back. His bones returned to their original positions, and Ace had to deal with every painstaking moment of it.

You do a lot of thinking after a failed suicide attempt.

even more after two.

It took the second failure for Ace to realize that if he gave up, then all those that died for him will have died for nothing.

His mother and father.

His sister.

His teachers.

His friends.

All of them.

Ace decided he would carry on because when he died, so did the last parts of those close to him. As long as he fought on, their legacy lived on. He would make the most out of the time he has been given. He would travel the universe, helping as many as he could.

Ace would then return home to fix the corrupt system that forces children into a militaristic society, where all that matters is how strong you are and how many people you can kill.

How many had he killed over the years?

Thousands?

Hundreds of thousands?

Millions?

It's hard to keep track when you have done nothing but fight and kill for nearly three-quarters of your life.

Ace never liked fighting. Everywhere he went, the strong seemed to love fighting and killing. It made sense to him, they enjoyed what they were good at.

Ace didn't.

Ace merely stomached the slaughters. He had to abandon may things over time.

Friends.

Lovers.

His humanity.

After everything that Ace had been through, he realized that if you don't get close to people, if you feel no remorse your enemy, and if you worry about yourself and only yourself, you can survive just about anything.

Ace was willing to give his life to achieve his goal. He would end the indoctrination system that strips children of their choices. He would be the last outcast. He would be the last to lose everything. He would be the last to be hunted.

Ace was ready to kill everyone that stood in his way.

Ace had become a machine, the only thing he worried about was his goal. The ends justified the means.

When Ace met Naruto, everything changed.

Ace's emotionless state was interrupted. Naruto made him desire a normal life, even if he knew it would never happen.

Ace had grown close to Naruto, closer than he had to anyone in a long time.

So as they stood in front of those that were the source of Naruto's misery,Ace was conflicted. On one hand, he absolutely detested those in front of him. They had caused the one person he cared about unimaginable pain. But if they didn't, then Ace and Naruto never would have met. He had grown very protective of the blonde over the years and even considered hunting down his former family and killing them himself. The only thing that stopped him was his respect for Naruto.

Ace knew that it was Naruto's choice, and he would help any way he could. If Naruto wanted to forgive and move on with life, Ace would be there, helping Naruto out when he needed it. If Naruto wanted to reduce the Hidden Leaf to a pile of rubble and a mountain of corpses, it wouldn't be the worst thing Ace had done. That was just the type of person Ace was. His undying loyalty for those close to him had led him into a few sticky situations in the past, but he thought it was worth it. He would protect, fight with, or aid his friends in any way he could, but if you betrayed or took advantage of him, there is nothing in the universe that would keep you from dying by his hand.

After traveling all over the universe, meeting all kinds of people, Ace had learned a lot about himself. One was that the anger he held for his enemies was more powerful than any weapon that could be used against them. It was his greatest asset, but his biggest weakness. Another thing was just how selfish people are. When Ace was growing up, he never stayed in one place for long. Ever since his parents died, Ace did whatever it took to survive. He killed, stole, ran, and hid when he had to.

Ace didn't like thinking about his past much. It wasn't exactly rainbows and sunshine. But as Ace watched Naruto tell his story to his "family", Ace couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have a family, to have anyone.

Those that took his family from Ace were going to be here soon. Ace was ready for them. He had laid his trap, spending his time studying this world and waiting for his moment to lay the bait. They were coming soon. Ace was sure of that. That was good, it had been a while since Ace let out his frustration. He just had to make sure that Naruto and other innocents from this world didn't get caught up in the crossfire.

When Legions go all out, things tend to get a bit catastrophic. On more than one occasion Ace had destroyed entire continents, leading to thousands upon thousands of casualties. Its hard to care about civilian casualties when your enemies don't. Ace had to abandon his morality if he wanted to survive. They had made him into the monster that they feared so much. He hadn't cut loose in a few years, which worried him. He had only gotten stronger since then. The last thing he wanted to do was kill everyone on this planet because he wasn't prepared for his persuers. No, he had to be ready, and he needed to have someone influential on his side. Ace had initially planned on just passing through. Maybe spending a few days on the planet before he continued his evasion, but when he saw Naruto on the Hokage Monument, he felt something he hadn't in a while. Humanity.

When he looked at Naruto, he saw himself at five, having nowhere to go, no one that accepted him. He knew firsthand the pain loneliness brings, and he couldn't just stand by and let Naruto grow up in misery. He watched the boy for a few months, curious about how the son of someone so important could live such a miserable life. It didn't take him long to find his answers. He saw the way Naruto's family interacted and nearly lost it. They neglected an innocent child, all because they were worried about some fucking prophecy.

Ace lost track of how many times he wanted to kill them. It would have been a just sentence for their stupidity, but as he observed Naruto, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Ace would just be taking away the last few things Naruto had left.

Then, Naruto's sixth birthday rolled around. He had planned on giving the boy a gift for a while, constantly watching the boy to learn his interests. He was amazed by the work ethic and growth rate Naruto had. Everyday, Naruto would go to the same place in the woods and practice chakra control, physically condition, or study books from the public library until he was so exhausted he could barely walk. On more than one occasion, Ace had found Naruto asleep in the woods and would sneak him into his room in his families compund.

Ace had a soft spot for the kid. Much like himself, Naruto didn't really have a place in the world. He was always seen as the other Namikaze, and the thought of dealing with that kind of treatment made Ace's blood boil.

When Naruto decided to leave the Hidden Leaf with Ace, there were many uncertainties. They weren't sure what they were going to do or where they were going, but they knew that they had each other's back. Over the years the two bonded. Ace saw Naruto as a little brother, even though Naruto grew and matured much faster than he did, Ace did his best to teach Naruto things not just about fighting, but things he would need to know, like how to deal and communicate with people, logical thinking, and a sense of morality that Ace had lost years ago.

Ace snapped out of his thoughts as he listened to Naruto complete his story. He did a quick look over of those behind the desk and came to a few conclusions. The first thing he noticed was the immense guilt, frustration, and self-loathing coming from the adults. Ace tapped into their minds for a moment, curious at their train of thought. Minato was trying to come up with a logical way to grow closer to Naruto. He knew that Naruto wouldn't exactly welcome them back, but he seemed determined to fix this rift between his eldest and the rest of his family. In the back of his mind, he was trying to get a gage for how strong Naruto might be. He was quite shocked when Naruto swatted a Nine Tails enhanced Menma like a fly. Naruto had also shown extraordinary speed in both his counter on Menma and evading his mother. He figured it would be safe to say that Naruto should at least be a Genin, but he wasn't going to bring it up yet. He cared more about what had happened to his son over the past decade. He was shocked at the sheer range of their travels. Ace and Naruto had visited all the major nations and even gone to the battlefields of the Hidden Mist Civil War. He felt guilty for not being there when Naruto experienced such horrors, but from what he could tell, Naruto and Ace were extraordinarily close. While he was sad about being replaced by Ace, he completely understood why his son did so. He wanted to thank Ace for looking out for his son.

Ace scoffed. _As if I did to for you._ He thought as he shifted his attention to Narumi.

The youngest of the Namikaze-Uzumaki was in awe of her brother's story. Her mind was overflowing with questions as he emotions seemed to calm down. Ace couldn't help but smile at her innocence. He noticed how pretty she was earlier, but had to acknowledge it again now that she had stopped crying. He grinned at the look of curiosity that was present on her face. _No wonder Naruto couldn't stay mad at her,_ Ace thought as he listened to her overwhelmingly joyous thoughts, all of them revolving around Naruto. Her older sister was a different story though.

When Ace listened to Mito's thoughts, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Her emotions were so conflicting he could barely make sense out of it. He had to commend the girl though, even as a civil war of epic proportions went on in her head, she didn't miss a single word in Naruto's story. Ace noticed a disturbance deep within her. Upon further inspection, he discovered an agitated Nine Tails. Rather than confronting the beast, Ace went back to Mito's thoughts and a few things caught his attention. The girl seemed to have put up barriers to cope with the loss of her brother. When Ace looked through her memories, Mito felt largely to blame for Naruto leaving. Her love for Naruto was undeniable, but she seemed to have distanced herself from the fond memories she had of Naruto. Instead, Mito seemed to have a lot of angry memories with Naruto. Ace put a pin in her for the moment, because he felt a great pulse of anger from Menma.

As Ace shifted his attention to Naruto's brother, he was hit with a wave of negative emotions directed towards him and Naruto. It took him a moment to find the reason for the animosity. When he finally did, his interest was piqued.

 **(Flashback: One Week Before Naruto Left the Village)**

 **(Setting: A small park next to the Village Orphanage)**

Menma, Mito, and Narumi were enjoying their day like they usually did. Their mother had brought them to the park to play with the other shinobi children. Menma was spending his time with Kiba Inuzuka, Shikimaru Nara, and Choji Akamichi. Mito and Narumi were playing with Hinata Hyuuga and Ino Yamanaka.

Suddenly Menma heard his name being called. He turned to see his sisters standing next to a few older kids. The boys were around ten years old. Menma could feel something off about them, but didn't know what it was. He walked over to them and Narumi turned to him.

"Hey, Nii-chan," Narumi said. She was wearing a clean white dress and had her hair in her usual pigtails, "I was asking these guys if they had seen Naruto-nii. They were going to take us to see him!"

Ever since Naruto had gotten rejected on his request to train with his parents, he wasn't in the house much. He used to play with them all the time, often tickling them and making them laugh for hours on end with his cheesy jokes. Menma loved Naruto deeply. He always looked up to him, but for nearly a year now, Naruto had become increasingly distant.

A few weeks ago, the Triplets came up with the idea of surprising Naruto with a surprise play session. The only problem was that they needed to find him. They asked everyone they knew, but no one knew where their brother went during the day. They were super excited when these kids said they knew where he was.

"Come on, follow us," The biggest kid said as he started walking into the woods.

They must have walked for a good ten minutes before Mito finally asked where they were going.

"You said you wanted to see your brother, remember?" The boy's face had a sick smirk as he reached down and picked up a stick from the ground, "You wanna know something?"

None of the triplets could speak. The watched as five more kids joined the group of four that led them out there. A foreboding feeling settled in and they suddenly became very nervous. None of them could speak as they watched the older kids surround them.

"You three killed our parents," The boy's words confused them. The triplets tried to cry out, but no one heard them. Fear settled in as Mito and Narumi began to cry. Menma tried to fight back, but took a hit to the cheek that left a cut a few inches long.

Menma fell to the ground as the boys laughed.

"You damn foxes killed my parents, my grandparents, and my sister, I won't let you get away with it," He raised up his arms, the stick positioning itself above Menma's downed form, "We are going to kill the foxes and avenge our family."

The boy swung down with all he might. Mito and Narumi watched in horror as the stick decended on Menma.

In the blink of an eye, a yellow blur positioned itself over Menma. Everyone heard the stick make contact with something and snap. Menma's eyes were closed, waiting for the pain of the strike that never came. He slowly opened his eyes to see Naruto standing over him, using his arm to block the stick. Blood ran down Naruto's arm and fell onto Menma's cheek.

Everyone's eyes widened as they saw the eldest Namikaze kick the older boy in the stomach hard enough for the boy to lose his wind. As the first boy fell, two others charged at Naruto, their sticks ready to strike.

Mito and Narumi tried to warn their brother, but Naruto was more worried with getting Menma out of the way. He took the hits, one to his ribs and the other to the side of his head. He fell to the ground as he yelled to Menma.

"Get them and run," Naruto's voice was distressed as he scrambled away from the rest of the boys. Not seeing any other option, Menma ran to his sister, helped them to their feet and ran back down the path they came from.

Mito and Narumi were crying even harder now as Menma tried his best to keep it together. Behind them they heard a lot of yelling and the sound of sticks hitting flesh. After a while they started to hear the sounds of fists hitting flesh, unsure of who was winning, they ran as fast as they could until they reached the edge of the forest. They stopped for a moment to catch their breath as they looked frantically for their mother. Right as they were going to call out to her, they heard rustling in the bushes behind them.

The Triplets turned around in horror, only for to be relieved a moment later. They saw the heavily wounded form of their brother push through a bush and stumble towards them. His blue shirt was in tatters and covered in blood, most of it his own. He had cuts and welts all over his body, the right side of his head was bleeding, his right eye was swollen shut, and his mouth was dripping with blood.

Tears fell from their eyes as they ran to him, embracing him in a hug like they used to have. Naruto winced a bit at first, then wrapped his arms protectively around his siblings. They cried into his chest for a few minutes before Menma spoke.

"Naruto-nii, I-I'm sorry… You got hurt because of-" Menma was cut off by Naruto who pulled them all in tighter. Mito and Narumi were thinking the same thing as Menma, but were still sobbing.

"Dummy," Naruto started, "It's a big brother's job to protect his little brother and sisters."

Naruto let off a hundred-watt smile, showing them his now bloody teeth as he held his siblings close.

"N-Nii-chan," Narumi started, looking up at Naruto, "W-what did those kids mean we are the fox? D-did we hurt people like they said we did?"

Narumi quivered as she spoke, sobs still racking her delicate frame. Naruto responded with a soft chop to the top of her head.

"Don't be a dummy like Menma," Naruto said, his smile growing wider, even though the pain he was feeling didn't dull, "You are Narumi, just like always."

Naruto looked down at Mito who was still clinging to him, "You are Mito."

Then he looked back over to Menma, "And you are Menma. Don't let anything those dummies say bother you. You three will always be my family and as long as I'm here, I won't let anyone hurt you."

As Naruto finished, his siblings' crying intensified as the finally let out the fear and worry they had. Naruto couldn't help but smile softly, he felt happy. Something he hadn't felt for a while.

 **(Flashback End)**

Ace remembered that day. He watched the entire scene play out. He watched as Naruto beat all the boys, choosing to go for pressure point take downs or choke-outs, hoping to hurt them as little as possible. The loneliness they felt was well known by Naruto. He knew what it was like to not really have a family. He didn't hate the boys for feeling the way they did, but he wasn't just going to let them beat up his siblings for it.

After Naruto calmed his siblings down, he asked them not to tell their parents about what happened. He didn't want the orphans to feel their mother's wrath for trying to beat her children. They reluctantly agreed, but were concerned for Naruto. He told them not to worry, he was going to be fine.

Naruto didn't go home that night. He slept on top of the Hokage Monument after trying to patch up his injuries. While he slept, Ace went down and healed the boy. He admired what the boy did, but was a little against how gently he took down the orphans.

Ace was pulled from his reflection once again as he saw another memory that Menma had, this one from about a month after the first.

 **(Flashback: Three Weeks After Naruto Left)**

 **(The Same Park Next to the Orphanage)**

The village was on high alert for the months following Naruto's disappearance. Minato was pulling out all the stops, mobilizing thousands of shinobi in an attempt to find his eldest. Menma, not wanting to be left out, wandered the village everyday looking for his brother wherever he could think of. Most of the time Menma would just wander around, wondering to himself why his brother left.

Menma was more worried about his brother than anything else. He knew that Naruto was a very independent person, but to be gone for nearly a month after what happened at the party made Menma question if his brother would ever return.

Menma was pulled from his thoughts and found himself at the same park from a few weeks back. The sun was setting and he figured it was about time to head back. As he was turning back to head home, Menma heard a few boys call out to him. When he turned back, he saw the same boys from a few weeks back.

"What are you doing here fox boy?" The biggest one spat as the group surrounded Menma.

Menma was immediately put on edge as he tried to find a way out. He spun around, trying to find a hole to escape. He found a small gap that was his best chance. Menma dashed for the gap as fast as he could, but was caught in the arms of two boys.

Menma struggled, trying to break from their grip, "Leave me alone, I'm just looking for my brother," Menma yelled, trying his best to hide his fear. His arms were held out by the bigger kids, Menma tried desperately to break free.

"Oh, the one that saved you last time? So I guess it's true, the only normal one in your family left," The boy let out an annoying laugh, the other boys following his lead, "It was just a matter of time before he left a monster like you behind."

Menma grit his teeth, his blood boiling with rage.

"Shut up, he would never leave us," Menma spat, once again trying to break out of their grip, and failing once again.

"How stupid are you?" The older boy mocked, "He has been gone for almost a month. From what I heard, your parents took away the last thing he had left and gave it to you and your sisters. It must suck for him, he had his birthright taken away and given to a monsters like you."

The boy lowered his head, getting right in Menma's face, a taunting grin making its way onto the boy's face.

"What's wrong Fox Boy, this can't be the first time someone told you the truth," The boy's smile grew, "Your brother never cared about you. And why would he? You are just a demon, and you deserve to be treated like one."

"SHUT UP!" Menma shouted, swinging his head forward, smashing it right into the older boy's nose. He felt a blood-chilling crunch against his forehead

The older boy lurched back, holding his now broken nose, blood pouring down his face. He looked right at Menma, rage oozing from both of them. The boy wound up a punch and hit Menma right in the jaw. He swung again, and again. His friends held Menma up as the blonde's knees buckled.

After a few hits, the boy with the broken nose let up, only to be replaced by the other boys that were standing behind him. They all took their turns, knocking out teeth and breaking ribs. When Menma was nearly unconscious, they dropped him on the floor and all kicked him.

That was where the ANBU found him, laying in a pool of his own blood, barely alive. Calling out for his brother to help him, his voice barely audible.

Menma was rushed to the hospital, where Tsunade personally tended to him. His list of injuries was rather extensive. He had a broken nose, cracked cheek bones, a major concussion, broken jaw, shattered rib cage, and punctured lungs. His arms had been broken from when he tried to break free and tried to cover his face from the kicks.

It took over 14 hours of constant medical attention and an eight-hour reconstructive surgery for Menma to even look like his old self.

Menma didn't talk for a few days. He barely ate and slept. He just sat there coming to a realization.

" _It's a big brother's job to protect his little brother,_ " Naruto's words echoed through his head.

 _He left me…_ Menma thought.

 _He isn't here to protect us anymore._ Menma thought. He bit his lip as he held back tears.

 _We don't need him,_ Menma thought as a few stray tears ran down his cheeks, _If he won't protect Mito and Narumi, then I will…_

Tears were now pouring out of Menma's eyes.

(Flashback End) 

Ace pulled out of the memory, his mind lost in thought. While he had been left in a much worse state than Menma, multiple times in fact, what Menma went through was something a child should never have to.

Ace closed and opened his fist a few times to calm down. He looked over at the Sannin, who were listening intently. Jiraya had a big part in the search for Naruto, using his spy network to try and search everywhere in the Elemental Nations. He grew quite desperate at one point, going as far as to enlist the help of the toads. After that failed, Jiraya lost all hope. He wanted to be the one to find Naruto, because in his mind, he was the reason Naruto left.

At first, Jiraya thought that Naruto was just hiding or "ran-away" like a lot of kids do. After a few weeks, Jiraya became quite worried for the blonde. The more he thought about the boy, the worse his guilt got. He thought about all the times that Naruto would ask him questions about being a shinobi. Most of the time Jiraya blew him off, but there was one day that was far worse than any of the others.

 **(Flashback: Three Months Before Naruto Left)**

 **(The Namikaze-Uzumaki Compound, Living Room)**

Naruto was sitting down on the couch, reading a book as Jiraya came barging in. He was looking for the Triplets, since they were going to be spending the day with him. In all honesty, Jiraya forgot to invite Naruto and didn't realize his mistake until he saw the boy sitting alone on the couch. Menma, Mito, and Narumi heard the door open and rushed downstairs. The immediately jumped on their godfather, walloping him in a hug. They all greeted Jiraya who couldn't help but let a smile wash over him. He was eventually able to push the Triplets off him, their smiles never falling.

"Alright, go tell your mother goodbye, I'll be waiting right here," Jiraya said as he looked down at the Triplets. They all gave a "Hai!" in response before the scurried upstairs to find their mom. It was only then that Jiraya noticed Naruto sitting on the couch, reading _Tales of a Gutsy Ninja_.

Jiraya was a bit shocked at first, he didn't know Naruto was interested in his writing, or that he could even understand it. The last blonde looked up from the book and politely greeted Jiraya.

Jiraya gave an uncomfortable nod as he kept eyeing the boy.

"Jiraya-san," Naruto said as he looked at the Sage, "I was named after the character in this book, right?"

The question caught Jiraya off guard. He replied honestly with a cocky smirk on his face. It was the next question that Jiraya didn't know how to answer.

"Do you think I can accomplish his dream of bringing peace to the shinobi world?" Naruto's words were hopeful and innocent, catching Jiraya completely off guard.

Unsure of what to say, Jiraya just stared at the boy, his mouth slightly agape as he tried to speak. Before he got the chance, the Triplets had come back downstairs, ready to leave. The dragged out Jiraya as the man looked back at their brother.

As the door was closing, Jiraya saw a tear make its way down Naruto's face.

 **(Flashback End)**

That was the day Jiraya regretted the most, aside from the day he brought up the prophecy. If he had just encouraged Naruto, maybe things could've changed. He will never forget the look of soul-crushing rejection Naruto had as he watched the author of his favorite book walk out the door after Jiraya akwardly ignored Naruto's question.

Mistakes.

They were the only thing going through Jiraya and Tsunade's head as they listened to Naruto.

Tsunade thought about the last time she spoke with the boy.

 **(Flashback: Two Months Before Naruto Left)**

 **(Tsunade's Office, Leaf Village Hospital)**

Tsunade needed some Sake. She had been sifting through applicants for Medical Ninjutsu training for hours and was getting nowhere.

 _Why can't I find one applicant that is worth a damn?_ Tsundade let out a frustrated huff and leaned down to the bottom drawer of her desk. She opened it to see a bottle of her favorite Sake and a saucer. She leaned back in her chair as she poured herself a drink.

As Tsunade was drinking her first saucer, Shizune walked in the office and scowled at her.

"You know you shouldn't drink while you're working Tsunade-sama," Shizune was 12 years old, but very mature for her age. Tsunade had begun personally training her in Medical Ninjutsu a few months back. The girl had promise. She wasn't much of a fighter, but she was quick witted and determined to help people. Tsunade saw a lot of her Dan in Shizune.

As the door was closing, she noticed a little blonde boy sneak in. She narrowed her eyes, looking past Shizune and staring right at Naruto. The boy approached humbly, his head bowed and his hands together in front of him. The boy was wearing his usual navy-blue shirt and grey shorts. He walked up and stood next to Shizune, respectfully waiting to be addressed.

Tsunade eyed him for a moment before she spoke, "What do you need, Naruto?" The boy didn't flinch at her tone. Instead, he looked up at Tsunade with a small smile on his face.

"I was wondering if you could help me with Medical Ninjutsu, Tsunade-san," Naruto said respectfully.

Tsunade was confused for a moment, as was Shizune. The both shared a look before Tsunade questioned Naruto.

"I wasn't aware that Minato and Kushina had begun your training," Tsunade said, knowing for a fact that he wasn't being trained by his parents.

"Well, they haven't I just-" Naruto started, but was quickly cut off by Tsunade.

"So, you haven't even started your shinobi training, but you want me to teach you Medical Ninjutsu?" Her tone was a lot harder than before, but Naruto responded anyway.

"Well I have been training on my own and I-" Tsunade cut him off again.

"You really think that you trained enough by yourself to compete with the Chunin and Jonin that apply for my classes?" Tsunade started at the boy, Naruto shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, "Because if you do, let me tell you something."

Tsunade leaned forward in her seat, her eyes burrowing into Naruto.

"You better get that ego of yours in check. I have had friends and family die because they thought they were stronger than they actually were," Nawaki and Dan flashed into her mind for a moment, "So, don't waste my time with this. Your parents obviously have a reason for not training you yet. Stop being a spoiled brat and just listen to them."

Tsunade's words were like daggers to Naruto, each one cutting deeper than the last. He gave a slight nod, bowed and walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Tsunade caught sight of tears running down his cheek as he closed the door. She immediately regretted being that hard on him. She could tell that he just wanted to better himself, but he wasn't being allowed to. While she was positive that he could work towards it in time, she wouldn't allow a kid to join her Medical Classes, child of the Hokage or not.

Shizune watched the interaction in silence, waiting for Naruto to leave before speaking.

"You didn't have to be that hard on him," Shizune sounded a bit angry with Tsunade, but also worried about Naruto. Tsuande let out a deep sigh.

"I know. I'm just a bit on edge right now," Tsuande finished her saucer and began to pour another.

(Flashback End)

Tsuande couldn't bring herself to talk to Naruto after that. Whenever she thought about how she acted, she felt disgusted with herself. She knew Naruto was just looking for something to do, and his parents weren't training him yet. She just felt too ashamed to speak to him. She needed time to let it calm down, maybe a month or two.

Naruto left before Tsunade apologized. Over the years he was gone, Tsunade thought about their last meeting. It was much more than just wanting help with Medical Ninjutsu, or wanting someone to train him.

That request was Naruto's last attempt to reconnect with his family. He was reaching out to everyone, and they all turned their backs on him. She had many nights where she thought about him all night, her guilt building to a near unbearable point. She began to drink more, hoping to forget. She never did.

Naruto was finishing up his story now, telling them his purpose for returning. Ace stopped poking around in the minds of others and decided to just listen for the moment.

"So, just throw me on a Genin team, we will be ready for the Chunin Exams coming up," Naruto was annoyed. He loved talking about his time with Ace, but didn't want to share anymore with his family than he had to. He purposely left out the parts about his power and skill set, knowing that his parents and god parents were curious about that aspect.

"Naruto, the Chunin Exams aren't a joke," Kushina tried to lecture, but was cut off by Ace laughing hysterically. Kushina grit her teeth at the outburst and tried to respond respectfully. "Is something funny?"

"Yeah," Ace started, "Just cut that whole concerned mother shit before I piss myself."

The smile never left Ace's face as he stared right at the seething Red Death.

"I'm his mother, it is my job to-" Kushina was cut off yet again by Ace.

"Yeah, you are his mother," Ace rolled his eyes, "And might I say you are doing an absolutely stellar job," Sarcasm dripping from each word.

Kushina clenched her fists, everyone in the room felt her chakra spike. She looked right at Ace with a glare that she wished would kill him.

"Leave," Kushina growled, "I thank you for bringing back my son. Now leave here and never come back."

"Aww. What? You don't like actually getting criticized for your fuck-ups?" Ace's smirk grew sinister, "Because if we are being honest, the only one in the room Naruto respects is me. I mean shit, he hates almost all of y'all."

Ace was pushing just the right buttons to piss everyone off. Minato was the only one keeping a cool head. Ace looked at Jiraya.

"This whole thing started with you and your fucking prophecy," Ace spat, "If you haven't noticed, the whole concept of a prophecy, is that no matter what you do, it happens anyway. So, you come down from the meeting with the Toad Sage waving you prophecy around like it is the answer to all your problems. If you haven't noticed, you cause more issues than you resolved."

Jiraya seemed to shrink under the criticism. He knew that every word of it was true.

Ace looked over at Tsunade, who seemed to shudder under his gaze.

"You are just as bad. You see a sad, lonely kid and decide to just stand by and watch," Ace got ready for the final blow on her, "I wonder what Dan and Nawaki would think if they saw what you did."

Tsunade's eyes widened after hearing that. Ace decided to have some fun and help her "envision" Dan and Nawaki reacting to her recent actions. Ace took over Tsunade's already vulnerable mind, an evil grin face.

 **(In Tsunade's Mind)**

Tsunade stood alone in a dark room, a sole spotlight shining down on her. Suddenly she hears a noise to her right. What she saw nearly made her heart stop. It was Dan with the injury he sustained on the day he died, glaring at her with a hatred she had never seen before.

" **How could you do that Tsunade?** " The image of Dan spat, " **How have you fallen so far as to push away a helpless child? Maybe it was good we never got the chance to have any…"**

Tsunade began to hyperventilate under the pressure of her emotional distress.

The image of Dan dispersed in a light breeze that blew through the room, revealing a form of Nawaki at the age of five. Rather than talk, this image went through Tsunade's memory of Naruto asking for help, but in Naruto's shoes.

Tsunade was balling watching the scene play out. It only got worse when Ace showed Nawaki standing on the top of the Hokage Monument crying, like Ace fond Naruto the day they left. Ace decided to put a spin on things as he had the image of Nawaki stand up and mutter, " **Since I'm not wanted** " and lean over the edge of the Hokage Monument.

Tsunade tried to run and grab him, but wasn't fast enough. Instead, she got a front row seat to the projection of her falling to his death.

 **(Thought Projection End)**

Tsunade snapped back to reality, only a second having passed while she saw everything Ace put in her head. She collapsed to her knees, a sobbing mess. Ace decided to move on.

"Don't even get me started on you," Ace said as he eyed Kushina, "You've got some balls to try and act all motherly after the shit you put Naruto through."

Kushina had heard enough from Ace and charged at him, intent on planting her fist right on his smug mouth. Ace grinned as he watched the red head barrel towards him.

In the blink of an eye, Naruto stepped in between the two of them, drawing his sword and putting it at has his mother's throat. Kushina slammed on the brakes to keep from splitting her throat open on her son's sword. She looked at Naruto, all of her anger shifting to sadness as she stood there, completely at his mercy. Naruto let out a low growl.

"If you pull some shit like that again, I swear to Kami, I'll kill you," Naruto's words made her skin crawl. No one in the room doubted what he said, no matter how much they wanted to. Naruto released a minimal amount of KI, making everyone in the room, but Ace, gasp for breath.

Naruto eyed his mother for a moment, his blade as still as a statue. His mother began to quiver at the sight. Naruto seemed to be daring her. She backed away shakily, a look of horror on her face. Ace place a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Getting the hint, Naruto sheathed the blade, and started shuffling through his bag, looking for something.

Kushina was now a wreck again, the idea of her son threatening to take her life broke the dam as she sat wallowing in her own sorrow. Minato was going to go help his wife, but Naruto tossed a rather large bag of Ryo on the desk.

Minato gave he a confused look, giving Naruto the cue to explain.

"That's for the penthouse of the Shinobi barracks," Naruto's words were brief, but his meaning was the opposite.

"N-Naruto, you don't have to. We can work something out…" Minato gave his son a pleading look, trying to keep his emotions in check.

Naruto turned to Minato, a cold look on his face.

"No, we can't. When you decide which team I'm on, send me the files of my teammates. I'll be busy for the next week, so don't bother stopping by."

Naruto and Ace made their way out of the office, leaving behind a stunned Namikaze-Uzumaki family. They had so many thoughts rushing through their head, too many for them to make sense out of. Minato knew there was one thing he needed to do before he tried to calm his family.

"Snake," Minanto called out. Immediately, an ANBU dawning a snake mask appeared, kneeing before him, waiting for a command.

"I want you to follow Ace. Find out as much as you can about him. Report to me every three days and if he leaves the village, send a message with one of your summons.

The cloaked ANBU gave a firm nod, "Yes, Hokage-sama."

The ANBU disappeared, off to tail her objective.

Minato let out a sigh. As he looked around the room, he saw everyone but him and Narumi were in the middle of an emotional breakdown. His mind was on one thing.

 _Naruto..._

 **(Scene Change:** **The Streets of the Hidden Leaf)**

Ace and Naruto were making their way to the nearest furniture store, hoping to pick up some essentials for their new home. As Ace reached for the door, he felt a chill run down his spine. A sudden shift in the air and movement of a distant power made Ace's eyes widen.

"They are coming," Naruto understood what Ace meant immediately.

"How many of them?" Naruto's voice filled with worry.

"More than I have ever faced before..."

 **AN:** And that is chapter 4: Questionable Choices. This chapter was a bit slower, but a lot of people wanted me to focus on Ace's reaction to Naruto's family. I hope I did a good enough job with the meeting. This chapter is coming out a bit late tonight. It is nearly midnight here. Tomorrow's will come out earlier and cover a lot.

Please let me know what you guys thought. I appreciate all feedback, and thank you again for supporting this story. Also, thank you for being patient with me and waiting for the fight scenes.

See you all tomorrow.

Ace


	5. Chapter 5: The First Step

**AN:**

Hey guys, sorry this update is a little late. I was writing it and felt like it wasn't good enough, so I rewrote it a bit and slept before I edited it. This chapter actually has a bit of fighting. One of the fights will continue into next chapter. I also revealed a few things here, so let me know what you all think. I will probably have the next chapter out Sunday night.

I thank you guys for the support. I'm up over 200 follows and almost as many favorites on this Fic. I hope that it can continue to grow and that you keep enjoying it.

Reviews:

Exziles: Thank you. When I got interested in this genre, I realized that there aren't many good Neglect Fics still going. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story as well.

Guest: I think the team here is a bit better, but you can let me know as we go along.

Ncpfan: Thank you. I was trying to have that last deciding factor that made him leave. It was supposed to be that last straw that made Naruto say, "Fuck this." As for Kushina snapping at Ace, the fact that he is speaking the truth is what makes it hurt the most. She never seemed like one to just let people shit on her, no matter how right they might have been. She knows that Naruto is pissed beyond belief, but the change in her will take time. I think Kushina's hope at piecing the family back together would make her irrational in her thinking. She is desperately trying to cling to Naruto, but he won't give her the time of day. Then on top of that, the one person Naruto cares for is roasting you and rubbing in the fact that Naruto cares for him. At the end of the day, it was her most instinctual reaction to lash out at Ace. All of her thoughts were against her and she saw Ace as the embodiment of her mistake and she wanted it gone. If you wanna go into this more, just let me know.

Bankai777: I honestly can't answer that. I didn't even think about it until I read you review. I think a conversation between Naruto and Hashirama should happen first though.

Phantomsoul2015: Yes, it is.

Mindovin: I don't really understand what you are trying to say in your first point, but Naruto doesn't need the Hirashin. He has Ace's teleportation power. HE already knows the Rasengan as well. But to your point about the triplets. I messed up writing that. I said in my second chapter author notes that Kurama is split up in all three Triplets, not just too, Sorry for the confusion. I'll think about what you said about Hinata. That might be fun.

Guest 2: To put it bluntly, the entire story up until the last few chapters had been from Naruto's POV, so we saw waht he thought about his family. Now with Ace going through their minds, we are able to see what they thought of Naruto. So the situation isnt as bad as Naruto thought it was, but it still isnt anywhere near acceptable. I cover this a bit in the chapter. If it still concerns you after this, just let me know

Lucian Naruto: I know. I cant wait to right that chapter.

Greer123: Thanks. I wanted to make it a meaningful meeting.

Donthedarkdragon26: You'll see whats after them. This chapter will basically answer or foreshadow all of your questions.

Specterchilypepper: I won't make Ace the MC, don't worry. I will likely split time between him and Naruto, the focus remaining on Naruto. Thank you for the feedback, I will try to keep it up.

Guest 3: Thanks, glad you like it.

Guest 4:I will. Thanks.

Xedinth: Thank you. I am glad you are liking Ace. I'm not sure about Hana, Kurenai, Tsume or Karui, but the others you named will be in one harem or the other. Haku will be female.

Joke Kane: Thanks. I hope you enjoy.

Light 'Kira' Yagami: He wont be emo. You will see some of his fun side in this chapter. I made Menma the strongest of the Triplets, so I wanted him to have a few clashes with Naruto. I want it to be emotional and grand, so you need him to feel a sort of anger towards Naruto.

NarutoKushina: Yeah, I know what you mean. I wanted to change that, and I am glad that you are liking it. He will, just be patient for me. I explain Menma a bit in this chapter, hopefully that helps. Jiraya will be explained in the future, do just give it some time. They werent that bad. That was just how Naruto saw them. The first few chapters were from Naruto's point of view, then Ace showed us what Naruto's family was thinking. So now we have both sides of the story. Neither fully understands the other side, which will lead to conflict later will be. Naruto will make their fuck up known to the world.

SoloHellZro: They won't be the main one. I have a plan that I will explain in the next chapter.

Kc4229: I'm glad you are enjoying the story so much. I hope you continue to voice your opinion and let me know what you think if the chapters.

Perseus12: It's time for them to see how badly they fucked up.

UnsanMusho: I'm glad you liked the you liked the chapter. I wanted to try and explain everything you were worried about, and it seems like I did.

 **Chapter 5: The First Step**

The Hidden Leaf Village was rattled to its core by the sudden appearance of the Hokage's eldest child. Everyone was talking about Naruto, spreading rumors and truths alike. When Naruto left his apartment, he was constantly watched, but rarely approached. A few confident civilians tried to talk to him, but all tried to act like old friends with Naruto. All they did was annoy the blonde.

Naruto and Ace spent the first day they were back getting furniture. The penthouse in the shinobi barracks used to be occupied by the building's owner. He was a nice, old man that liked to host parties and listen to the shinobi talk about their missions. He passed a few years back, without an heir. The Hidden Leaf Council seized ownership over the barracks, but no one moved into the Penthouse.

Ace and Naruto couldn't understand why. The penthouse was on the 14th and 15th floors of the barracks. It had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, but the most attractive part of it was the open floorplan it had on the first floor. There was a sizable kitchen with a nice area that could be used for a dining room. The living room was under a loft area. It connected to the kitchen and dining room nicely. The walls were painted a subtle beige and the floor was brown hardwood. Naruto picked out some brown leather couches for the room while Ace picked out some paintings, weapons, and curtains to cover the walls and windows. At the end of the living room, navy-blue curtains covered the floor to ceiling windows nicely. A few pictures of the First and Second Hokage were hung by the door. On some of the walls, Ace had put up weapon sets that fit nicely. Naruto put up a few paintings in the rest of the blank areas, and they made the penthouse rather welcoming. They usually kept the curtains open, showing off a nice view of the village and the Great Stone Faces in the distance.

Upstairs were the bedrooms. Naruto stayed in the Master Bedroom. It wasn't that extravagant, Naruto didn't want to set much up. He had a desk in the corner next to a book case. On the desk, were a few pictures of him and Ace from their travels. On the walls, were some painting Naruto had picked up while they traveled the world. The room had a balcony with a small table and two chairs. His King size bed was much nicer than he was used to. Ace told him to go all out with the bed, making a few jokes about sex being more enjoyable when the bed is soft.

The other two rooms were rather bare. They had a bed and dresser, but Ace didn't set anything up. He would be traveling for the time being and didn't want to take up more space than he needed. Instead, he took time setting up the loft area.

The loft area was about 15 feet wide and 20 feet long. Ace decided that he wanted to put a collection of instruments there. Naruto was surprised when Ace started teleporting random things to the loft area. There was a big black box that stood on four legs and had a cracked lid, Ace called it a piano. There was another piece of hollowed out wood with six strings running down the length of it. Ace called this one a guitar. The next one Ace brought out was a brass instrument that looked a little like a busted pipe. Apparently, it was called by a Saxophone. Ace brought out a big black box with a side that had a lot of tiny holes in it. Naruto recognized this as a speaker. He had heard Ace talk about them on a few occasions. The last thing Ace brought, Naruto recognized. It was a drum set that Ace had brought out before.

Naruto had heard Ace sing and play other instruments before. He always loved how at peace Ace seemed when he was preforming. Ace was usually calm, but after a while Naruto began to notice Ace's habit of caution. He always looked over his shoulder, as if there was something following him. When Ace was singing or playing instruments, he achieved genuine peace. That night, Naruto sat with Ace for hours as he played every instrument he set up.

After Naruto and Ace set up the Penthouse, they decided to make friends with their neighbors. Ace put up signs on each floor letting everyone know that they were hosting a House Warming Party and that everyone in the building was invited.

Word about the party spread like a plague. Most were interested in the mysterious son of the Hokage and his friend, but they wanted to be polite, so they picked up presents as a gesture of good faith. By the end of the day, most of the shinobi in the village were talking about the party.

Many of the clan heirs planned on showing up. Hinata Hyuuga remembered Naruto from when they were little. She never spoke to him, not many did, but she would always watch him from afar. She went up to ask her best friend, Narumi, about the party.

Much to Hinata's surprise, Naruto had apparently gone by earlier in the day to personally invite Narumi. Hinata hadn't seen her friend happier in a long time. She was happy for Narumi.

Kiba Inuzuka planned on making an appearance until he talked to Menma. Apparently, Naruto had invited Narumi, but not the rest of the family. Menma failed to convince Narumi to not go and was in a rather bad mood. Kiba decided to stay put, Menma wasn't a good person to anger.

Shikimaru Nara was getting dragged to the party by his eventual teammates, Ino Yamanaka and Choji Akamichi. Though Shikimaru acted like he didn't want to go, Naruto had peaked his interest, as had the one that accompanied him. The Nara heir didn't take much convincing.

The last group of Genin that planned on stopping by was Team Guy. Neji was against the idea for the most part, but eventually his teammates Tenten and Lee wore him down enough that he relented.

 **(Naruto and Ace's Apartment)**

Naruto stood with Ace, leaning up against the bar and looking out into the crowd of shinobi talking, laughing, and dancing in the living room. Ace had put on a playlist of music Naruto had never heard before, but those present seemed to enjoy it, so he didn't mind. They were a little surprised by how many people had shown up. Their place could hold around 90 people and not feel crowded, but this group was pushing that number.

As they looked around, they couldn't help but smile at the shinobi enjoying themselves.

"They apparently don't get to do this that often," Ace mentioned as he watched a group of Academy classmates reminisce about the "old times" with each other. Naruto gave him a small smile as they thought about the night.

Naruto and Ace had been playing hosts for about three hours now. They pulled out all the stops for the party, getting Ichiraku Ramen and Yakiniku Q to cater for the event. They had also gone out and nearly cleared out a liquor store as they prepared for the night. They took turns working the crowd at first.

Ace mostly stayed behind the bar now, mixing drinks and talking to just about anyone he met. More than a few kunochi had tried to hit on him throughout the night. One was being a little more persistent than the others.

Anko Mitarashi.

Anko lived a few floors down from them, but seemed to take a liking to Ace almost immediately. She got a drink from him as soon as she walked in, and was even ignoring other guys that were hitting on her in favor of Ace.

Ace saw it as a game. He didn't recognize her looks, but he recognized her aura. She was present during his and Naruto's meeting with Naruto's old family. It didn't take Ace long to realize that she was assigned to keep an eye on him. Though, her constant flirting and sexual innuendos were entertaining to Ace.

Ace felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He turned to see the very girl he was thinking about. She was dressed in her usual garb. Her trench coat was open in front, revealing her mesh undershirt. Her khaki skirt kept her covered, barely. She had her hair in her usual high ponytail, giving her spiky, purple hair some sort of order. She had her forehead protector on as well.

Anko had a slight blush from her stream of drinks Ace made for her. She eyed Ace and couldn't help but lick her lips. She might be on a mission, but that doesn't mean she can't enjoy herself a bit. Ace was wearing khaki pants with informal leather shoes (Speerys). On his torso was a navy-blue dress shirt that fit him nicely. He had the sleeves rolled up to the elbow and a good third of the shirt cracked open. Anko's mouth watered at the sight of Ace's barely exposed chest. Just like his face, his chest was devoid of any excess weight and even had a few scars from what she could tell. The scars just seemed to heighten his sex appeal.

Anko hadn't been with many guys, it took a lot to interest her. Even if you managed to get her attention, it was even harder to keep it. She was very much a "take-what-you-want" type of person, and right now she wanted Ace. She figured getting closer to him would help with her mission, and it wasn't like she was looking to date him. Just a little fun.

Anko loved the little game Ace was playing. He would use wit, sarcasm or jokes to keep her on her toes, and when she would flirt with him, he would do the same. She knew she would win this game. She always did.

"Soooo," She stared in a sultry tone, "How come you have been here a few days and we just met, Ace-kun?"

Anko's tone alone was enough to fluster Naruto, who couldn't help but admire the older woman. She was 22 years old and had the body of a goddess. She had a 36-D bra size that was flaunted by her attire. Her skirt seemed to be screaming for help as it stretched out to cover her nice, toned butt. The most sexual thing about her was her smirk. It was a smile that promised great pleasure if you played your cards right.

"I know right," Ace began, shifting to face Anko, "I typically make a point to meet the beautiful women anywhere I go."

Ace's words were so silky-smooth Naruto wanted to put down his drink and applaud his brother.

"Quite the smooth talker, aren't you," Anko said playfully. Ace cracked a smirk equal to Anko's. He leaned forward so that their faces were only a few inches apart.

"I'm just a little more experienced than the poor souls you usually fluster," As Ace leaned forward, Anko could see right down his cracked shirt, getting a good view of his perfect abs. Her mouth wasn't the only thing to water at the sight.

"See something you like?" Ace asked innocently as he stood up again, breaking Anko's sightline. He didn't give Anko a chance to answer as he backed off.

"If you would wait for me for one moment, I wanted to say something while I had everyone here," Ace then disappeared into the crowd of people behind him. Anko let out a low growl as Ace claimed victory that round.

Naruto watched Ace snake his way through the group of dancing shinobi. More than a few tried to start a conversation with him, to which he responded by redirecting them to another nearby dancer. Naruto chuckled at the effectiveness Ace had in navigating the crowd. Ace had told him that at some point that night, the crowd would get like this. They would have a few drinks, start talking to some people, and eventually just start to enjoy themselves. Ace also said that the music he played, while foreign to them, would just naturally make them want to dance. Partner that with the lights Ace had set up to give the apartment a "club" vibe, and you had yourself a party that would live in infamy among the shinobi ranks.

Ace eventually reached the staircase. He went up a few steps and reached for his wrist.

Ace cracked his usual smile as he looked around the crowd. He saw some of the clan heirs present. Ino Yamanaka was dancing off to the side with a goofy Choji next to her. Shikimaru was with them looking like he might die of embarrassment. Hinata Hyuuga had just walked in with Narumi, and they were making their way to Naruto. He saw a few drunk Uchiha from the police force standing next to the two children of the clan head. Itachi looked at Ace with much respectful intrigue, while his little sister Satsuki was staring intently at Ace. She was a rather pretty girl. She was about five-feet, six-inches tall and was wearing a white robe that split in the front and normal black pants. She had a rather average bust at 34-B, but her messy black ponytail was breathtaking. Ace couldn't deny her beauty, but from the looks she had been shooting Naruto all night, he could tell that her interests were elsewhere. Team Guy was at the edge of the living room. Neji was trying his hardest not to look awkward while he danced, but Lee was all over the place, treating dancing like a workout. Tenten was dancing beautifully. She was well aware of the setting and matched the beat of the music perfectly. She eventually noticed Ace watching and shot him a friendly smile.

 _Oh… I need to meet her,_ Ace thought as he smiled back at Tenten.

He turned on his wristband and lowered the music, getting everyone's attention.

"How's everyone doing, tonight?" Ace semi-yelled to the crowd. He got a massive cheer in response.

Ace's smile widened as he let out a happy chuckle. He noticed many of the women were blushing as they watched him.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to thank all of you for coming out tonight. It's nice to get to meet everyone like this and it's even better when we all get to hang out and have a good time," Ace got another cheer in response.

"Anyways, I'll shut up now. Thank you all for welcoming us to the Hidden Leaf," This cheer was the loudest. Ace's smile grew as he turned the music back up and the crowd went back to dancing.

Ace stood up on the stairs for a few minutes before someone approached him.

"So, you are the mythical Ace everyone is talking about?" Ace turned to see Tenten, Lee, and Neji making their way up the stairs. He cracked a smile as he responded, "The one and only."

He got a laugh out of Lee and Tenten, Neji remained stoic.

"I'm Tenten," She said pointing to herself, "These are my teammates, Lee and Neji."

Ace gave a slight head nod in acknowledgement. The smile on his face growing

"I've heard quite a lot about you these past few day," Tenten said as she got closer to Ace, stopping about 18 inches from him.

"I've heard some of the rumors," Ace stated, "Some of them are a little flattering."

Tenten let out a cute giggle at that.

"Well can you blame them?" Tenten said, leaning down on the railing next to Ace. They looked out over the crowd for a moment, "I mean out of nowhere you show up with the Hokage's long-lost son. Not to mention you seem to be rather close to Naruto."

Ace looked down at Naruto who was now having what looked like a pleasant conversation with Narumi and Hinata. Ace noticed Hinata had a slight blush on her face as she spoke to Naruto.

"We spent a lot of time together on the road," Ace's words were soft, a small smile settling on his face, "We got each other through some shit, to say the least."

Tenten had a confused look. She didn't want to pry though, so she changed the subject.

"I saw you watching me while I was dancing. Any particular reason?" Tenten now had a playful smirk on her face as she scooted a little closer to Ace.

"Sometimes it's nice to just admire beauty and wait for things to play out," Tenten flushed at Ace's words. He gave her a glance over, "I would say things played out quite nicely."

Ace and Naruto made an impression on many that night. The put to rest any rumor that painted them in a negative light. Ace and Naruto were praised by the shinobi populous for their fun-loving nature and their welcoming personalities. They were settling into the village quite nicely, and many were welcoming them.

Narumi spent the night of the party catching up with her brother. She was excited beyond words when he went to the compound to invite her, but was even happier when she saw her brother talking with other shinobi and getting to know them. Rather than being treated as the Hokage's child, like her, Menma, and Mito often were, he was accepted because of who he was. He didn't act any different than them, and they seemed to love him for that.

Naruto had learned acceptance from Ace. Both of them had be forced into hardship because of things they couldn't control.

When Narumi asked Naruto about Ace, the compassion and loyalty Naruto spoke with amazed her. She heard countless stories about Ace that night. None of them were about fighting or training, but rather Ace as Naruto saw him, a protective older brother that was always there for him.

When Ace came around to talk to Naruto, Narumi couldn't help but look at him in a different light. She couldn't get herself to talk to Ace yet, but she definitely wanted to. After listening to Naruto explain Ace, she realized why they acted the way they did in the meeting. They knew no matter how bad things got, no matter how stacked the odds were against them, they would be there for each other. The thought of it made Narumi happy, but not as happy as when she saw Naruto and Hinata hitting it off while talking about anything that came to mind. She knew that Hinata had trouble talking to people, but that hesitation seemed nonexistent with Naruto. She also noticed how her friend flustered easily at her brother's actions and let her gaze linger on Naruto. Narumi would have to ask Hinata about that later.

The days following the party were slow and pleasant. Ace and Naruto spent most of their days sleeping.

Two days before the Genin team placements, Ace packed up his bags and got ready to leave. As he was walking down the stairs, he caught sight of Naruto waiting for him at the table.

"You really have to leave already?" Naruto seemed sad, but his expression remained calm. Ace let out a small sigh.

"Yeah," Ace started. He noticed the slightest of flinches from Naruto at the confirmation of his exodus, "I'm not gonna let them get a foothold here."

Ace stood next to Naruto and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"These are just the advance forces. We can't allow them to settle in, I have to keep them on the defensive. Your village won't survive if they go on the attack," Ace's words were soft, as he thought back to the slaughter that his enemies brought.

Naruto had heard the stories from Ace. He knew that Ace wasn't exaggerating. If they came, and Ace wasn't ready, a lot of innocent people would die.

"You said that a lot of them were coming," Naruto looked up at Ace, worry present in his eyes, "What happens if you can't beat them?"

Ace gave a sad smile as he thought about his time with Naruto.

"I will," Ace took a few steps towards the door, "I have more of a reason to fight now than I ever have. I have something to protect, so I can't fail."

Naruto reflected Ace's smile, then got up and made his way to the door. As they opened it, they saw Minato standing there with two files in his hands.

"Oh, uh," Minato obviously wasn't ready to talk to Naruto yet. It was clear he was trying to gather his thoughts.

Naruto's smile immediately left him as he looked at his father. He realized why his father was there and put his hand out for the files. Minato handed them to his son. Naruto nodded and turned to Ace.

"Be careful, and keep that temper in check," Ace smirked at the blonde then pulled him into a hug. Minato watched in silence.

"I will do my best," Ace replied, he then spoke lower so only Naruto could hear him, "Show them."

The smile returned to Naruto as he backed away from Ace. Ace walked out and Naruto closed the door behind him. Minato deflated at the act, obviously hoping to have a word with his son.

"Well, since you have nothing to do you can walk me to the gate, we have much to talk about."

 **(Scene Change: The streets of the Hidden Leaf)**

Ace and Minato were walking down the street, heading for the same exit Naruto and Ace came through when they arrived.

"So, you want to try and fix things, huh?" Ace was as blunt as ever.

"Yes," Minato said, "I know we don't deserve it, but it's at least worth a shot."

Ace let out a sigh as he walked beside his little brother's father.

"The wound was reopened when we came back. You and your wife were foolish to think he would be willing to listen so soon," Ace's words hurt Minato, though he didn't show it, "He was in a bad mood the entire time we came back. All he could talk about were the memories of you guys, none of them too good."

Minato deflated a tad at Ace's words. He couldn't think straight as he walked with Ace. He eventually decided to say the thing he had wanted to for a while.

"Thank you," Minato said, barely above a whisper.

"It's the least I could do," Ace's words were soft, "He did more for me than he could ever imagine. I was in a dark place before I met him. He pulled me out."

Minato looked at Ace in shock, he didn't know what Ace meant by that, but he definitely didn't expect Ace to share something personal.

"I can tell you have good intentions, no matter how late they might be," Ace looked over at Minato, "I doubt he will ever forgive you, your wife, or the Sanin. Naruto can't just forget what y'all did to him, nor should you expect him to."

Minato saddened bit at his words. The man next to him was the one that knew Naruto best. If he was saying that Naruto might never forgive them, Minato had no reason to think otherwise.

"But he doesn't hold the same animosity for your kids," Ace said, making Minato's eyes widen as his gaze shot towards Ace, "He never meant to hurt Narumi, and his feelings for Mito and Menma aren't exactly hostile. Which is more than I can say for those two."

Minato knew that while Narumi always missed Naruto, Mito and Menma grew hostile towards their older brother. It made sense to him that Naruto wasn't overly angry with the Triplets.

"Menma is the worst from what I've heard. Naruto always told me he was a follower. He liked to be accepted, and would do anything it took to be accepted," Ace looked forward, "Even if that was harassing or talking bad about his brother."

Minato thought back to when his children were little. Menma would pick on Naruto, but it always seemed like Naruto blew it off.

"I don't think Menma meant what he did back then, and Naruto knew that. He just wanted people to think he was cool. From what I can tell, he even idolized Naruto when they were younger," Ace thought back to Menma's face when he saw Naruto, "That feeling of betrayal from when Naruto left was probably what made him hate Naruto," Minato thought about what Ace said, and agreed.

"I find it interesting hearing the story from both sides," Minato remained quiet, "I have heard Naruto's side of what happened between you all, maybe one day I will hear yours."

Minato nodded.

"I think about what he said a lot. From what I can tell in the short time I have spent with you and your family, you understand what you did wrong and feel guilty for it," Ace stopped at the gate of the village and looked back at Minato.

"That by no means entitles you to his forgiveness, but there is a silver lining," Minato looked desperate for Ace's next words.

"Your kids still have a chance with him," Minato's eyes widened again.

"But you saw him hit Menma…"

"Yeah, let's just let a Nine Tail's Jinchuriki get a free shot in, sounds like fun to me," Ace said sarcastically, "What I'm saying is that Mito and Menma can still patch things up with Naruto. I think the ship has sailed for you, but frankly, you should be happy that you kids still have a chance."

Ace turned to walk out of the village.

"Thank you, for everything," Minato said, bowing slightly, tears forming in his eyes, "If there's anything you ever need, just let me know."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Ace said with a smile as he walked down the path.

Minato wiped his eyes and thought about what Ace said.

 _I won't let Menma and Mito waste this chance,_ Minato thought, _It might be too late for us, but I will be happy if the kids can all be together again._

Minato turned back and walked to his office, a small smile on his face.

 **(Time Skip: Three Day Later, Training Ground 7)**

Satsuki Uchiha sat with Hinata Hyuuga underneath a tree, waiting for their teammate and Jonin Sensei. She was wearing traditional blue Uchiha garb with gray shorts, but had the sleeves cut off and her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She had her forehead protector on, as well as a look of great frustration.

Satsuki and Hinata had been waiting for two hours for their sensei. Kakashi Hatake. He had told them that they would meet their third teammate today, but no one had shown up yet. Her patience was wearing thin as she heard someone approaching.

Satsuki turned to see Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki walking up, looking half asleep. He was wearing black pants with black combat boots. He had a black muscle shirt on underneath a black cloak. He had two swords on his back and was carrying a long, golden staff. His hair defied gravity as the blonde spikes stood straight up. The last thing he had was his forehead protector, which was securely fastened around his head.

Satsuki couldn't help but blush at the sight. She was angry at her new teammate sure, but that didn't change the fact that he looked damn good. She was about to yell at him when Hinata jumped up from her seat next to Satsuki.

"N-Naruto-kun, what are you doing here?" Hinata seemed excited and nervous as she addressed the blonde.

"This is where Team Seven was supposed to meet right?" Naruto's words brought a smile to Hinata's face as she realized Naruto was the last member of their team.

"Oh, this is Satsuki Uchiha, she is on our team too," Hinata said, motioning to Satsuki.

The Uchiha walked up with an angry look on her face.

"Where have you been? You were supposed to be here two hours ago!" Satsuki got in Naruto's face, her yelling not bothering the blonde.

"I'm gonna assume you don't know Kakashi, huh?" Naruto said with a deadpan expression. Before Satsuki could yell at him again, a puff of smoke went off behind them and was replaced by their white-haired sensei.

"Know what about me Naruto-kun?" Kakashi said in a suspiciously sweet tone.

"Oh, just how you have a tendency to get lost on the path of life, Kakashi-san," Naruto turned to the Jonin with a smile.

Kakashi couldn't help but smirk under his mask. He was the one that searched for Naruto all those years, using hounds and his own enhanced senses to search every nook and cranny of the elemental nations. He got pulled away frequently to do other missions, but he always went back to searching. He was always against how Naruto's family treated him, but was always too busy to go see the boy. Minato trusted Kakashi more than any other shinobi in the Leaf, so he always handled important business on behalf of the Hokage.

When Kakashi was told of Naruto's return and desire to be a shinobi, Kakashi personally requested him. Kakashi was going to be there for Naruto this time, his other responsibilities be damned. Minato accepted Kakashi's request and partnered him with the Hyuuga and Uchiha Heiress, hoping to make a powerful team capable of taking on the Chunin Exams in a few months.

Hinata had a mastery over the Gentle Fist, getting all the way up to 64 Palms easily. She was her cousin's rival in every sense of the word, but the girl was rather timid and disliked hurting people, which made her weak in her father's eyes. She was under constant scrutiny from her father and the Elders of her clan, none of which saw Hinata in a positive light. She had the respect of the branch family and many in the main family, but those that made the decisions were dissatisfied with her.

Satsuki was a little different. She lived in the shadow of her brother. Itachi was a once-in-a-generation prodigy. He was the only student since Kakashi to graduate early from the Academy, he made Chunin at ten, and is currently an ANBU captain. One of the youngest in the history of the Leaf. She had something to prove, and a work ethic to match it.

Kakashi was very happy with his team. He would push them as hard as he could. They could take it. He would prepare them for the hard lives ahead of them, and be there for them like his sensei was for him.

Kakashi gave his team a glance over, then spoke.

"My first impression of you all," Kakashi paused as he eyed the teens, "Is that you are boring."

Satsuki grit her teeth in anger. Hinata seemed more confused than anything else. Naruto was picking his ear, only half paying attention.

Kakashi decided that introductions would have to wait, he wanted to test them now. He pulled out two bells from his pocket.

"Here's how this is gonna go…"

 **(Same time: Land of Demons)**

Ace was watching a group of Legonians unload a ship onto an abandoned field. He noticed drilling equipment, weapons, and surveillance systems among the things the soldiers were unloading.

 _So, this is where they want to set up a base…_

The ship that brought the Legonians was massive (Imagine an Alliance Cruiser from Mass Effect). He watched as hundreds of soldiers poured out, all gathering into squads. There were two thousand in all (They are all wearing black armor similar to the humans form Mass Effect).

 _Two thousand in the advance party…_

 _How many are in the main force?_

Ace watched the sky for a moment, he noticed the slightest of changes in the sky.

 _There is a second ship floating around. I can let any of them escape. Both ships... No survivors..._

Ace waited for his moment to strike, the slightest of grins making its way onto his face.

 **(Training Ground 7)**

Naruto was waiting patiently. He knew what the purpose of this test was, but wanted to test his sensei's strength. He let his teammates attack individually, getting a feel for their power and making notes on what they could improve on.

Naruto was a little impressed by his teammates. Satsuki had a fully matured sharingan and a decent mastery over fire and lightning chakra natures. She just needed to improve her stamina a bit and she was an absolute menace to fight. When it came to Hinata, she just needed some ranged attacks. If you got anywhere near her, she would close down your chakra system faster than you could even react to, but if you were able to stay out of her reach, you could poke at her with ninjutsu attacks until you had an opening.

Both girls were very fast, Kakashi was using his sharingan to stay one step ahead of them, but Hinata also had a strength that shocked Naruto. With her perfect manipulation of chakra, she was able to enhance her muscles like Tsunade did, then release large or small concentrations of chakra from her hands and feet.

Kakashi was nothing to take lightly either. Naruto noticed he had the Mangekyo Sharingan. He hadn't used the black flames or Susanoo yet, but he hadn't needed to. Kakashi could completely absorb an attack into a separate dimension with his eye, then send it back at the attacker. He used this some debris from his attack that would have severely injured Satsuki.

Having a good enough understanding of his opponent's power, Naruto walked into the forest surrounding the training ground. He quickly made two shadow clones and sent them to get his teammates.

Naruto then turned to face the east, as if he were expecting something.

In the blur of steel, a dozen kunai shot out of the brush, all of them aimed right at Naruto.

Naruto made a Snake hand sign and an earth wall rose from the ground to shield him. All of the kunai sunk into the wall, then the wall crumbled to reveal an unharmed Naruto.

"So, you can use Doton, huh Naruto?" Kakshi walked out from where the kunai were thrown, his hands in his pockets.

Naruto cracked a grin.

"It would appear so," Naruto said, trying to act shocked. He got a slight chuckle out of the Copy Ninja.

"Your teammates have already faced me, is it your turn now?" Kakashi mocked.

"I already know we're supposed to work as a team, but I figured I might as well take a crack at you since they did," Naruto spun his staff around in his right a bit then slid into a fighting stance.

Kakashi let out another chuckle.

"Are you sure you wanna do that," Kakashi said while shifting into a fighting stance as well, "If you can just get Satsuki and Hinata to listen to you then all three of you can attack together. You have a much better chance of succeeding."

"Where's the fun in that?" Naruto and Kakashi eyed each other for a few moments, each daring the other to attack.

 **(OST: David Guetta, Snoop Dogg- Sweat)**

Kakashi rushed Naruto, a kunai in each hand. He closed the distance between them in a fraction of a second, slashing the kunai at the blonde. Naruto responded by leaning back and falling into a bridge. He then caught Kakashi between his shins and whipped a back handspring, slamming his sensei into the ground.

A few cracks appeared around Kakashi as met the ground.

Both Naruto and Kakashi kipped up to their feet, Naruto slightly faster. He used his advantage to swing his staff vertically on Kakashi, who was able to block the swing for a moment, but was forced to jump back when the force of Naruto's staff shattered the kunai.

Kakashi took a moment look at Naruto, questioning where the wicked strength was coming from. Deciding to test something, Kakashi blurred through a series of hand signs. Naruto slammed his staff into the ground and made one, the horse sign.

"Katon: Majestic Destroyer Flame," Naruto then opened his mouth to shoot a massive wall of fire 100 feet long and 50 feet tall.

Kakashi's eyes shot wide as dinner plates as he changed his plan.

Naruto's jutsu cleared out a portion of the forest, completely charring everything in its path. He looked through the smoke for his sensei, only to not see anyone. He took a deep breath and calmed his chakra, waiting to sense the slightest disturbance in the area around him.

Naruto's eyes snapped open as he looked 45 degrees to the right and launched his staff. The staff pierced the ground and he heard the poof of a substitution jutsu.

Naruto then jumped back to avoid Kakashi shooting out of the ground looking to uppercut him. The blonde quickly drew one of his knives and threw it right at the still surfacing Kakashi. Not seeing any other option, Kakashi activated his Mangekyo, redirecting the blade back to its owner after it went through his Kamui.

Naruto caught and sheathed the blade as he charged his sensei. He was about to land a bone-crushing knee to Kakashi's chest, when the Copy Ninja vanished in a flash of white. Naruto immediately turned to see Kakashi leaning against a tree, a Tri-Prong Kunai in his hand.

"So, he taught you the Hirashin?" Naruto asked rhetorically. Kakashi didn't reply. Instead, he threw out dozens of Tri-Prong Kunai over the scorched earth and what was left of the forest.

"Surrender, Naruto," Kakashi's voice as serious as a heart attack

"Why? Things are just getting good…" A massive smirk graced Naruto's features.

 **(OST END)**

 **(Land of Demons)**

Ace was currently in the midair, descending through the night sky towards the ship that was landed below him. If he hit it correctly, he could detonate the fuel caches and destroy the entire ship. He knew that the Legonians couldn't call for backup if the ship was gone, but he had to make sure that the other ship was gone before he attacked. He waited for a few hours until the ship went on a patrol, to make his move.

Ace landed right on the engine of center of the ship, creating a Vector underneath him at the last moment to smash the ship like a bug. A massive explosion shook the land as all two thousand soldiers snapped their attention to the ship.

Out of the mixture of fire and smoke walked Ace, his golden cloak blowing in the breeze, a small smirk on his face.

The commanding officer was the first to react.

"BATTLE FORMATIONS!" He yelled, panic clearly overwhelming him.

As one, the Legonians dropped what they were doing and got ready for a fight.

Ace kept walking slowly towards the soldiers, his hands hanging by his side.

The soldiers all stared in horror as their target approached. All were sweating, some pissing themselves. They all had heard the stories of the Legion that had evaded the military for years. He was known for his ruthlessness and godlike power. That man now stood before them, keen on ending their lives.

"I apologize in advance my friends," Ace said in a sinister tone, "It's been a while since I had a good fight."

 **(OST: All Off- One More Chance!)**

As Ace finished speaking, a teleporter appeared behind him, sword drawn, aiming right for the base of Ace's neck. Ace preformed a quick backflip, allowing the man to pass under him harmlessly.

Ace them shot down, slamming his right hand through the base of his attacker's skull. There was a moment that everyone watched him shake their fallen comrade's blood off his hand in one swift movement.

All hell broke loose.

Immediately, two dozen teleporters swarmed Ace, all attacking form different angels. Ace raised his hands until they were fully extended to each side. He then released a wave of telekinetic power sending all the Teleporters flying. The force of the wave was strong enough to shatter bones, as he assailants found out.

Ace then dashed straight at the horde of oncoming soldiers. He slid under the axe of a massive Regenerator and landed an uppercut to the Telekinetic that was prepping an attack. He shattered the woman's jaw, then while she was launching into the air, he kicked her to the right, killing her immediately and sending her corpse tumbling through a dozen soldiers.

Ace then spun to parry two swords poised for his back. As the two soldiers flew past him on either side, he grabbed their heads and slammed them together, leaving nothing more than a mess of blood and grey-matter.

Ace then spun to his left, landing a kick to the neck of a Regenerator, snapping his neck and killing him.

Ace was then swarmed by a dozen soldiers, all swinging swords, axes, or hammers wildly. Ace ducked, slid and jumped over an absolute flurry of attacks. He then sent a pulse of aura through his feet. He launched himself into the air with a Vector, then slammed his hands together.

The ground responded by snapping up like a bear trap. Two, 200-foot, by 100-foot walls smashed together, killing hundreds not fast enough to get out of the trap. Ace looked at the remaining 1400 soldiers all looking up at him. He swiped his right hand, summoning his staff, then fired a massive stream of fire into the sky.

"Prometheus's Judgement," Ace muttered as the sky turned orange. Suddenly, hundreds of fireballs the size of boulders fell on the remaining forces. Hundreds were smashed by the falling fireballs, others were burned alive as the fire spread. The Kinetics tried to raise a barrier of rock, but Ace was already one step ahead of them.

As they finished constructing their massive dome, Ace teleported inside of it, his burning gold eyes the only source of light in the room. The sound of the fireballs slamming into the dome did little to drown out the rally cry the remaining soldiers let out as Ace drew his swords.

Ace teleported to his first target, slicing him in half horizontally, then the woman to his right diagonally. His eyes shifted to his Oculus form as he teleported again. This time appearing in front of five terrified men. He slashed with his right sword, cutting either their throats or jaws faster than they could react and then flipped over a rock whip being used by a Telekinetic.

The sound of teleporting and screams of agony were the only thing that could be heard as Ace systematically slaughtered everyone. Only a handful could sense him, but their call-outs were drowned out by the wails of the dying.

As their numbers dwindled, the remaining soldiers could hear the blood of their comrades splash as they stepped.

The commander, a Regenerator named Josh Maxon suddenly felt a hand grab his face. He was then propelled through the air, until he slammed through the wall of the dome, breaking everyone in his torso.

Maxon flailed helplessly as his body tried desperately to piece itself back together. He soon heard footsteps coming from the hole in the dome.

 **(OST: END)**

Ace walked calmly towards Maxon, his gold cloak almost entirely red with the blood of Maxon's subordinates.

"I always pity the advance teams," Ace said as he wiped some blood from his face, "Those that send you know, if I find you, you're dead, but yet they send you anyway."

Ace turned to look at the hole in the side of the large dome. Blood was now dripping out of it, a subtle reminder of the slaughter than took place just moments ago.

"Two thousand had to die, because they wanted to POSSIBLY get the drop on me," Ace reached the downed commander, then squatted down to face him, "How little do the generals value the lives of you and your men?"

Ace mocked Maxon, whose face contorted into one of rage. He tried to reach up and grab Ace, but faster than he could comprehend, Ace drew a knife and cut off Maxon's hand. Maxon let out a roar of pain, but Ace was unfazed.

"You see, Maxon," Ace started, "I'm just fed up of you and your commanding officers thinking that they can just come after me and destroy anything that gets in their way."  
Ace slammed the knife into Maxon's stomach, severing his spine and stopping the commander's regenerative power.

Maxon's eyes started to fade, his life slipping away from him.

"The only problem is, that those old shits just won't catch the hint," Ace snapped his head around and launched a black chain out of his left palm. The chain flew for a while before splitting into seven. The chains suddenly wrapped around something invisible.

The second ship that that Ace had noticed earlier was caught in Ace's chains. Ace began gathering Aura in his right palm. The energy spun rapidly, forming the shape of a diamond.

"So, until they do," Ace looked over his shoulder, to the dying commander, "I just going to kill every last person they send at me."

Ace closed his palm, absorbing all of the collected Aura in the center of his palm, then calmly raised his palm, pointing it at the ship struggling to break out of his chains.

Ace then released the built-up power in a golden cone of energy unlike anything Maxon had seen. The cone hit the captured ship, completely erasing a 50-foot section of the ship's center. Everything the Aura came into contact with was vaporized. The beam must have gone on for miles.

Maxon couldn't help but awe at the sight.

The remnants of the ship fell to the earth as Ace dismissed the chains and began walking past the commander.

"You know the stories don't do you justice," Maxon said, spitting-up large quantities of blood, "You're much more powerful then I even dreamed you were."

Ace faked flattery and he covered his face.

"Aww, that's so sweet of you to say," Ace's tone innocent, "Goodbye, Maxon."

Ace teleported away as Maxon watched the engines and fuel cells from the ship plummet to the ground. As they hit, an explosion of epic proportions erased any traces of a battle. Instead, a crater over 1200 feet deep and a mile in diameter scarred the land.

Ace stood up on a mountain in the distance, observing the destruction.

"Your move, Liv..."

 **AN:**

And that is chapter 5. A few fights in this chapter. I will be continuing Naruto vs. Kakashi next chapter, and we will get to see Hinata and Satsuki's reactions to Naruto's power. I like Ace's first fight scene. It wasn't anything too crazy, but I wanted to give you a taste of Ace's power.

Let me know what you thought of the chapter.

Feedback is always appreciated.

Thanks and see you all soon.

Ace


	6. Chapter 6: Naruto vs Kakashi

**AN:**

I have a number of things to say real quick. So if you guys could just look this over for me, it will be greatly appreciated.

1\. Ages

Naruto is currently 17, the same age as Team Guy. The Triplets, Team 8, 10, Satsuki and Hinata are all 16.

Kakashi and Shizune are 24.

Anko and Yugito are 22.

Minato and Kushina are 37.

Itachi is 21.

Ace is 18, in his years.

2\. Slight cross-overs.

The main reason I use references from other amine, games, or shows, is because I want to make it easier for you guys to imagine what I am writing. If i give you things that you can look up, then it will make it much easier for you to picture the scene in you head. If at any point, things get too cross-over-ish fro you just let me know, but I don't think that will be an issue.

3\. Ace and Naruto

I want them to both be the main characters in this story, with the slight focus being on Naruto. They will be split up for a few chapters, but I will do my best not to make things too Ace-centric, because I want his whole thing to be a side plot to Naruto's story. Let me know what you think of Ace's story or if I need to explain things more thoroughly. I am introducing a lot of different powers and villains so if anything gets confusing, please just let me know.

Here is how I have the Harems right now:

Ace: Anko, Shizune, Yugito, Tenten, Mei, and possible Narumi and Mito

Naruto: Satsuki, Hinata, Ino, Samui, Fu, Temari, and Ryuuzetsu

Let me know if you want any additions or changes. I'm willing to add a few, so just let me know what you are thinking.

3\. Chapter Posting

As of right now, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays are when I actually have time to write. I want to get out 2-3 chapters a week, at least for right now. I am just getting into the parts of the story that I didn't have planned out, so I need to draft things out and brainstorm ideas. The Chunin Exams are coming up and I want to make it an epic read that has you all on the edge of your seats, so if I need time to make it higher quality, I am willing to take it.

4\. Art

I am looking to get the cover-art done for the story and was wondering if anyone was interested. I know the story isn't massively popular or anything, but I am just putting it out there. I am curious to see how you guys imagine Ace and Naruto looking, so if there are any artists out there, please let me know if you are interested.

5\. Terminology

I plan on switching things up a bit, using some Japanese words that i think fit better. Sorry, that just how it's gonna be.

Reviews:

John Lanford: I'm not sure if that would fit in the story, but if I come up with something, it is definitely something that could be fun.

Squarekiddo: What doesn't make sense. If you let me know I can explain it a bit.

Spectrechilypepper: I a glad that you are enjoying the story. I am still testing a lot of things out, so if you could continue to give me feedback, it would be much appreciated.

CoolioG: I kind of see the comparison you are making, but I tried to explain how Naruto felt towards Ace when her first met him. If you don't get it then I can explain it, but if you don't like it, I can't really go back and change it now. I hope it doesn't ruin the story for you.

Lucian Naruto: I thank you for the feedback. I like the idea of Naruto being indifferent to the rest of his family. I think this topic will be an overarching arc for a large portion of the story, so let me know what you thik about how i do things.

NarutoKushina: I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I purposely made Minato and Kushina the way they are, it will likely cause conflict down the line. To say there will be a problem between the triplets would be putting it lightly, but we will talk about that in the next few chapters. I haven't set my mind to one outcome for the adults yet, but I am certain that complete forgiveness is not in the cards for them.

KilluaGodspeed: I wonder if you read past the first two chapters, If you really hate the story that much than don't read it. I get that my writing isn't perfect, but I dont think it is as bad as you make it seem.

UnsanMusho: The answers are int eh section above. Thanks for the feedback.

Kc4229: I love that you get such a kick out of the chapters. I hope to improve the quality as the story goes on, so I hope you stick with me and let me know how I do.

SoloHellZro: I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I didn't hear much about Ace's fight so I'm happy to hear that you liked it. Naruto's Mokuton is closer to Hashirama's level. He just doesn't rely on it as heavily as Hashirama did, so he might not have a need to use it to that extent.

Ncpfan: The relationships between the characters will build a bit. The wounds are just fresh with Naruto right now. He just came back to Konoha so everything is fresh in his mind. Redemption is hard subject, but i think the characters should at least give it a shot, I mean don't they at least owe Naruto that much. Thank you for the feedback. Please keep it up.

Greer123: I am glad you liked the fights. I htink I couldve done Ace's a bit better, but there is nothing I can do about it now. I'm glad that you liked the use of Majestic Destroyer. It is one of my favorite attacks in the show.

Bankai777: Yes, sooner than you might think.

Giantsknck: I explained the ages a bit, but Hinata is a bit different. She was hopelessly in love with Naruto, partially because of what he did when he was younger, but Menma hasn't done any of that. She is much more confident in this story, and is slowly starting to fall for Naruto. Naruto doesn't hate Konoha, he is willing to give people a second chance. It is up to them what they do with it.

Gammagyro: Thank you. Any suggestions you have? And I'm all ears for the powers, maybe I can work them in.

Light 'Kira' Yagami: I'm glad my new chapters excite you. I hope you enjoy this one as well.

Now on to the story.

 **Chapter 6: Naruto vs. Kakashi**

Kakashi started down his sensei's son. He looked past the blonde to assess the damage done by Naruto's previous attack.

 _What the fuck was that attack?_

It was hard to believe a Genin had that much firepower. Kakashi expected a lot from Naruto, but if the blonde was willing to show this already, what else did he have up his sleeve?

Kakashi returned his gaze to Naruto, a smirk gracing the blonde's features. The white-haired shiobi was blown away by Naruto's skill so far. He moved like a seasoned veteran, but wasn't over-committing like Genin normally did. He didn't want to go all out against Naruto, but considering the fact that Naruto had forced him to use not just his Kamui, but also the Hirashin, Kakashi felt like he shouldn't continue to underestimate the blonde. That was the smartest decision of the day.

"Don't act scared now, Kakashi," Naruto's smirk grew sinister as he dismissed his staff, "It's been a while since I had a good fight."

 **(OST- Weak, AJR)**

Naruto dashed at his sensei, his speed on full display. Kakashi barely had enough time to block the flying knee aimed for his chin. The Copy Ninja tried to counter with a right hook, but Naruto saw it coming from a mile away. He swiped the punch up, then landed three quick punches to Kakashi's ribs, cracking some bones.

Naruto then went for a roundhouse, but Kakashi Hirashined away. Naruto turned to face his father's last student, his grin still present.

"I warned you Naruto," Kakashi then teleported, appearing at a kunai ten feet behind Naruto. Rather than go for an attack, Kakashi threw 11 Tri-prong Kunai around the blonde, giving him multiple angles to attack from.

When Naruto turned to face his sensei, Kakashi teleported again, this time launching a volley of ninja stars at Naruto. The blonde ducked under the attack, only to see a shadow settle above him.

Kakashi flew through some hand signs.

" **Katon: Fire Ball Jutsu** ," He yelled as a massive fireball descended upon the blonde.

Naruto made three hand signs, " **Futon: Tornado!** "

Naruto released a massive burst of air from his lungs. The air formed the shape of a small tornado, but completely absorbed the fire ball. Kakashi teleported away from the now flaming tornado as he looked at Naruto.

 _Doton, Katon, and Futon? How the hell does he have three chakra natures?_

Kakashi watched as the fire-tornado dispersed, showing a Naruto with slightly burned clothes.

"Not bad Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said as he walked through the smoke, "But if I'm supposed to come after you with the intent to kill, then the least you could do is return the favor."

Kakashi looked at his student, looking for any hint that he might be bluffing. He didn't find any.

Naruto seemed like he was barely effected by the last attack, even though he stood in the middle of the tornado. He had fired two powerful ninjutsu and didn't seem near his limit at all.

"You're not giving me much of a choice on the matter, Naruto," Kakashi had a sheepish grin behind his mask.

Naruto started to gather a large quantity of lightning chakra in his right hand. Kakashi got ready to teleport out of the way, but Naruto turned his aim skyward, firing off a massive amount of chakra into the sky. The sky started to turn dark blue, lightning branching out over newly formed clouds.

"Now, I think it's about time I get serious, Sensei," Naruto dashed at his teacher again.

 **(OST-End)**

 **(Perspective Change: Satsuki)**

 _Fuck, my ribs._

Satsuki let out a grunt as she covered her broken ribs with her hand. She was leaning up against a tree, her body covered in bruises, cuts, and scrapes.

 _Sensei hits like_ a fucking _truck…_

Satsuki had given Kakashi he best effort, even getting a finger on one of the bells, but I the end, it seemed like the Copy Ninja was just playing with her. The thought of that agitated her. He treated her like she wasn't even a threat, but an annoyance.

In the distance, Satsuki heard an explosion. She turned to see a massive wall of fire clear out a portion of the forest.

 _What the hell was that?_ Satsuki thought as she pulled herself to her feet. Just as she was about to head in the direction of the attack, she saw Naruto drop down in front of her.

"Naruto?" She asked questionably, not wanting to fall for one of her sensei's tricks, "But if you're here, who is fighting Kakashi?"

Satsuki had watched the fight between Hinata and Kakashi, hoping to get a feel for the Copy Ninja's power.

"I'm just a clone," Naruto said as he walked up to her, "The real me is fighting Kakashi right now, but he sent me to get you and Hinata. He has a plan."

The clone walked up to Satsuki, attempting to pick her up. He was quickly slapped away.

"I can carry myself, just lead the way," Satsuki ordered, an annoyed look on her face.

The clone let out a deep sigh, then watched as a stream of electricity went into the sky. The slightest of smirks made its way onto his face.

 **(Perspective Change: Hinata)**

 _I've gotta find Satsuki and Naruto, this exercise has to be about us working together. There is no way we can beat him on our own._

Hinata was healed for the most part, having taken a few classes in Medical Ninjutsu. She was heading towards the sound of metal clashing. She activated her Byakugan just in time to see Naruto release a blinding attack at their sensei. Hinata had to look away, the chakra density nearly blinding her. She heard a noise behind her.

Out of the brush came a shadow clone of Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, what was that attack?" Hinata asked, more than a little curious about the blonde's ninjutsu.

"The real me is fighting Kakashi right now," The clone started, "He sent me to get you and Satsuki. He has a plan."

Hinata gave a firm nod and followed the clone through the forest.

"Naruto-kun, was that your attack?" Hinata said thinking about the destructive attack that just ricked the entire training ground.

"Yeah, it was my-," The clone was cut off by a streak of blue lightning shooting into the sky, "We have to move, I will explain later."

Hinata gave a skeptical nod, picking up the pace to match the clone.

 **(Perception Change: Naruto)**

 _I just need to land one palm on him…_

Naruto was trying to keep track of Kakashi's teleporting, knowing that if he can place a seal on the Copy Ninja, he would be able to end the fight.

"What's wrong Naruto?" Kakashi taunted, seemingly from all around Naruto, "I thought you wanted me to go all out?"

Naruto gave a slight growl in annoyance.

While Kakashi was nowhere near as fast as Ace, Naruto didn't exactly want to tip his entire hand this early.

Naruto went through a few hand signs, finishing with his hands clapped together.

" **Futon: Gale Force** ," Naruto released a pulse of air from his palms, blowing back many rocks and ripping off some of the smaller branches from the nearby trees. The gust was just enough to disturb Kakashi's concentration, giving Naruto an opening.

Naruto snapped his attention to the dazed Jonin and ran at full-speed, tackling Kakashi through a tree truck and slamming a hand on the Copy Ninja's chest. Kakashi spit up a little blood as he tossed Naruto off of him.

Naruto landed about ten feet away, a massive grin on his face. Kakashi tried to teleport, but felt like he was tied down. He looked to see a sealing formula wrapping around his chest.

"With that seal, you can't channel chakra through any seal or weapon, this is where things really get fun," Naruto jumped flashed some hand signs and slammed a palm into the ground, " **Doton: Rock Spikes**!"

 **(OST-Aaron Carter, Sooner or Later)**

The earth responded by shifting into spikes, three feet in length and a few inches think. Dozens of them fired at Kakashi, who dodged most of them. He took a few scrapes on his legs and arms from the spikes, but didn't suffer any major injuries.

In the blink of an eye, Naruto appeared in front of Kakashi, his speed far surpassing the Jonin's. The blonde slammed a punch right into Kakashi. The Copy Ninja barely blocked the punch, but was sent flying into the center of the clearing made by Naruto's Majestic Destroyer Flame.

Kakashi landed on his feet, feeling the cracks in his arms as he got ready for the blonde's assault. Naruto took off, sliding underneath Kakashi's guard, and kicking him in the side of the knee from behind. Kakashi crumbled to one as Naruto spun around the downed Jonin, landing a kick right to Kakashi's head, sending him flying to the opposite edge of the clearing. Naruto beat Kakashi to the edge and wound up an Axe Kick. He brought the kick down right on Kakashi's chest. The ground around Kakashi shattered like glass as the Copy Ninja sat at the bottom of a three-foot-deep crater.

Kakashi spat up a large sum of blood, his mask turning red. Before he could react, he felt a hand wrap around his ankle. He looked up to see Naruto getting ready for another attack. The blonde used his hold on Kakashi to whip his sensei around and slam him into the ground. This crater was much shallower than the last, but Naruto wasn't done.

Naruto made a Snake sign and slammed his foot into the ground. A pillar of rock shot out of the ground, nailing Kakashi straight in the chin. The Copy Ninja flew into the air, his back to Naruto. In one fluid motion, Naruto wrapped his arms around Kakashi, then slammed him down in a vicious Suplex, shattering the solid rock below them and fracturing many of the Copy Ninja's bones.

Keen on ending the bout, Naruto backwards rolled over the downed Jonin, pulled out his knives from their sheath on his back and slammed them down, hoping to pin Kakashi to the ground by his shoulders.

In a desperate scramble, Kakashi blocked the attack, feeling the cracks in his bones worsen.

"So, you still have some fight left in you?" Naruto taunted.

"More than you might think," Kakashi grunted out as he whipped his feet up, locking his feet under Naruto jaw. With all his remaining strength, Kakashi whipped the blonde around, funneling all his remaining chakra into his muscles, he slammed Naruto into the ground headfirst.

The stone shattered again as Naruto's head was buried in the ground, his body sticking out of the ground like it was on a spike.

Kakashi let out a deep sigh as he tried to pick himself up. He felt the injuries all over his body. With barely enough strength to stand, he got up and turned to look at Naruto.

 **(OST- END)**

 _That was insane. Had I not gotten the drop on him, he could've killed me…_

Kakashi turned to head off, when he heard rocks being moved around.

To his horror, Kakashi watched as Naruto pulled himself out of the ground.

Naruto stood up and rolled his neck, hearing a dozen or so cracks as he let out a groan.

"I've gotta admit, Sensei," Naruto said cheekily as he turned to face the stunned Copy Ninja, "I did not expect you to attack. You really got me with that last one."

Kakashi watched the blonde in horror. Blood ran from the blonde's head as he spat out a mixture of rock, teeth, and blood.

"It's been a while since I took a shot like that," Naruto said as he disappeared. Before Kakashi could react, he felt Naruto palm his face, take a few steps and slamming him into the middle of the clearing, forming a five-foot-deep crater. Naruto then closed his open hand and the earth responded by strapping Kakashi's waist, legs, arms, and neck to the bottom of the crater.

"While I don't really need to use this, I might as well show it to you since you've been a good sport," Naruto said, the lightning in the sky crackling louder and flashing more frequently than it had the entire fight. Naruto then jumped back to the edge of the clearing, landing on a tree. Kakashi tried to break free from the earth binding him, but he had no energy left.

Naruto's hand erupted in blue-white lightning as he looked down at the helpless Copy Ninja. He slowly raised his arm into the sky as Kakashi heard a bloodcurdling roar come from the heavens. He watched in horror as a massive dragon made of lightning made its way from the clouds.

"Now," Naruto said with calculative eyes, "What will you do Kakashi-sensei?"

The dragon climbed back up into the clouds for a moment, then Naruto lowered his hand, pointing it directly at Kakashi.

"Kirin."

 **(Perspective Change: Satsuki and Hinata)**

Satsuki and Hinata had arrived at the battlefield around the same time, but before they could interfere, the clones stopped them.

"Why can't we go in?" Hinata said forcefully, "You already said that you knew this was supposed to be a team exercise."

One of the clones looked at Hinata, dawning a smile.

"And part of being a team is trusting your teammate," The other clone gave her a smile as well, before flashing a thumbs-up.

"Besides, I don't think you want to get in-between the Boss and Sensei right now," The clone shifted his gaze to the battlefield, watching Kakashi teleport around unpredictably.

"Fine, but if things take a turn for the worse, you aren't stopping us," Hinata said threateningly. The clones let out a nervous laugh and inched away from the Hyuuga.

"Kakashi is using the Hirashin, are you sure the real you can handle that?" Satsuki asked, her gaze never leaving the battle.

"Just watch," One clone said. All of their attention shifted to the battle.

As if on cue, Naruto let out a burst of air from his hands, disorienting all of them as well as Kakashi. They watched as Naruto tackled Kakashi and place a seal to interrupt Kakashi's teleporting, their thoughts almost identical.

 _How is he that advanced in Fuinjutsu?_

While they knew Kushina and Minato were two of the best Seal Masters ever, for Naruto to develop a seal that can disrupt the Yellow Flash's most dangerous jutsu was amazing. They continued to watch the fight, in complete awe of their teammate.

As Naruto displayed his speed, Hinata and Satsuki couldn't help but go slack-jawed. Naruto was so fast, their Dojutsu could barely keep up.

They watched in a mixture of awe and horror as Naruto landed blow after devastating blow on the Copy Ninja. Each punch, kick, or slam roared like thunder. The strength Naruto was displaying was incredible.

 _That strength…_ Hinata thought as she watched Naruto whip Kakashi into the ground.

 _He has to be as strong as Tsunade-sama…_ Satsuki thought as she watched Naruto suplex their sensei. _Add that to his proficiency in ninjutsu…_

 _Naruto, just how strong are you?_ The two young women thought as Naruto drew his knives.

They watched in horror as Kakashi locked his heels under Naruto's chin and slammed him into the ground. The attack was nearly as strong as Naruto's, making a blood-chilling crunch as Naruto's head was submerged in stone.

They were about to jump in to help their teammate, when they heard his clones laughing at their original getting slammed headfirst.

"Oh man, that reminds me of how Ace used to fight us," One clone said before he returned to laughing uncontrollably. The other clone was laughing just as hard. He took a breath of precious air as he tried to speak.

"Yeah, you remember the first time Ace slammed the Original like that?" He erupted into laughter again as did the other clone.

"Yeah, the look on his face was priceless!" The clone yelled through his laughter.

Hinata and Satsuki were about to get angry at the clones when they realized that if their teammate was in any serious danger, the clones would've dispelled. The slowly turned back to the battlefield, just in time to see Naruto pull himself out of the ground.

Their looks were similar to their sensei's as they watched Naruto spit out some blood, stone and teeth. They couldn't make out what Naruto was saying, but were caught completely off-guard when Naruto face-palmed Kakashi and slammed him into the center of the clearing. The wind from the slam blew past them wildly as they watched Naruto jump back.

Whatever he was trying to say was drowned out by the rumbling of thunder. As Naruto's hand sparked alive with lightning, their eyes widened and shot to the sky. They watched in horror as a massive dragon made entirely of lightning descended from the heavens. The dragon let out a deafening roar as it sat above the battlefield. Their eyes were glued to it until it retreated into the clouds. Their gaze then turned to Naruto who had his arm raised in the sky.

There was a brief moment of silence as they saw Naruto lower his hand.

"Kirin," He muttered, then faster than they could react to, the dragon barreled towards Kakashi, making an explosion that could be seen from the Great Stone Faces on the other side of the village. They were blasted back by the shock-wave but were caught by the two clones, that then jumped away to safety.

The explosion shook the entirety of Konoha. The sheer quantity of chakra getting the attention of every shinobi in the village.

The entire training ground was rendered into a field of debris and stone. Fires and branches were strewn all over the field. Hinata and Satsuki were making their way back to the ground, still in the arms of the clones. They were too lost in the moment to protest the way they were being carried. Instead, their eyes were fixed on their teammate, who was looking down at the epicenter of the explosion. The crater was over 50 feet deep and 500 feet across.

The clones landed on a relatively clear area and set Hinata and Satsuki down.

"Go to Naruto now, it should be safe," One of the clones said before dispelling. They nodded dumbly to the other before it dispelled. They took a moment, looking at each other, both in complete disbelief of what just happened. They couldn't speak, but decided to listen to the clone's last instructions and head to Naruto.

 **(Perception Change: Naruto)**

Naruto stood at the edge of the crater his jutsu made. He looked down into the crater to see his sensei's steaming body at the bottom. He waited for a moment, sensing more than just his teammates heading to his location. His teammates showed up first.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata said as she landed next to him, "Are you okay?"

Naruto smiled slightly as he turned to face them.

"Yes, thanks for asking," The blood on the side of his head and mouth made them a little skeptical.

"N-Naruto," Satsuki stuttered as she looked down into the crater. Their sensei was still at the bottom of it, "W-what was that attack?"

"Ah, yeah sorry about that. You two were a little closer than I would've like. Sorry if I hurt you two at all when I used it," Naruto gave a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his bloody head. All of Naruto's wounds had already closed, his teeth grew back a few seconds before he used Kirin, "That was one of my strongest jutsu, it's called Kirin. I collect all the static energy in the air, compress it, and aim it. It fires itself for the most part."

They looked at him in awe, but his smile quickly shifted to a hard look as his attention shifted to something behind them.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Minato, Kushina, Jiraya, and Tsunade had shown up with an ANBU squad. Their attention was split between the mass destruction and the Hokage's eldest, "What happened here?"

"Kakashi-sensei is giving us our first test today, remember," Naruto's words were sarcastic as he looked at all those present, "You are interrupting it. Hinata-chan, Satsuki-san, and I were about to finish it, so if you would excuse us…"

Naruto turned to jump in the crater, but was stopped when his mother cried out to him, her worry taking center-stage.

"D-Did you do this?" Kushina's words were quite, almost as if she were scared to hear the answer.

Naruto snapped his fingers and let out a tongue click, "You might be onto something there," He said sarcastically before jumping down into the crater, Hinata and Satsuki following, still dumbstruck.

Kushina, Minato, Tsunade, and Jiraya looked around in a mixture of horror, awe, and self-loathing.

"H-How did he do this?" Tsuande said as she looked around at the training field she had once used as a Genin. Instead of the green grass and abundance of trees, she saw a wasteland.

"T-That attack…" Jiraya started before he remebered the massive explosion that he felt from the Hokage's Office. Rain started to fall, soaking all of them.

"Naruto…" Kushina's tears were being hidden by the rain now as she thought about her son.

Minato was standing, his mouth agape, and his knees shaking at his son's response. His mind was racing.

 _How?_

 _Who taught you this?_

 _Is this even you full power, Naruto?_

The last thought terrified Minato. He could tell from looking at Naruto, aside from the blood on his head and mouth, his son seemed completely fine.

Minato looked back to his son who was now at the bottom of the massive crater, looking down at his former student. He couldn't imagine his son having this type of destructive capability. The Triplets could barely achieve this, but they had trained under the best Konoha had to offer their entire lives.

The thought of Naruto becoming this powerful on his own terrified Minato. He looked out over the destroyed training ground as he waited for the test to end.

Naruto, Hinata, and Satsuki were now standing over their downed sensei, the two girls trying to act composed even though they were still conflicted about Naruto's recent showing.

Naruto pulled out a sword and held it to his sensei's throat, getting a skeptical look from his teammates.

"Grab the bells," Naruto said calmly.

Not seeing a reason to disobey, Satsuki and Hinata reached down and each grabbed one of the now nearly destroyed bells. The shiny silver bells were long gone. Instead, they found melted, dirty pieces of metal, barely being held together by a few strands of the red ribbon.

"I guess we pass," Naruto said with a grin as he watched Kakashi stir slightly, "Will you two get Tsunade for him, please?" Naruto's words were soft.

Hinata and Satsuki nodded and jumped off, each still carrying the bell they had picked up.

"That was amazing Naruto," Kakashi said weakly, "I never stood a chance against you, did I?"

Kakashi coughed a bit, spitting up a good portion of blood. Naruto leaned down, his hand glowing gold, then began to treat Kakashi.

"Baka," Naruto started with a smile, "You took me too lightly to start off. If you hadn't underestimated me in the beginning, things might have ended differently."

"I doubt it," Kakashi let out softly, his pain immediately begin alleviated by Naruto's healing. He already felt immeasurably better than he did moments ago. Kakashi also knew that Naruto greatly loosened his hold on the final jutsu as it approached the Copy Ninja. If Kakashi had to guess, he took about a quarter of the attack's full potential. Naruto knew that anything more than that would seriously injure or even kill the Copy Ninja. Instead, Naruto hit him with the perfect amount to incapacitate him and end the exercise.

"Tell me Naruto," Kakashi said, his voice slightly stronger now, "That wasn't anywhere near your full potential, was it?"

Naruto responded with a smile, raising one finger over his mouth to do the "Shhh" motion. Kakashi let out a chuckle, which eventually turned into a cough.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't there for-" Kakashi started but was cut off by Naruto.

"It wasn't your fault. I know you were the one looking for me. I saw you a couple times and could tell you were genuinely worried about me. When I read the file, and found out that you specifically request that I be placed in your team, I couldn't help but laugh. I knew you always cared about me Kakashi-sensei. I know you were busier than even my father before I left. There is nothing to be sorry for," Naruto's words were soft, as he had a small smile.

Those words did more for Kakashi than any Medical Ninjutsu could. Kakashi felt a weight lift off of him that had been there for over a decade. He couldn't help but let out a few tears as he looked at his sensei's eldest.

"Thank you, Naruto," Kakashi mumbled as his vision faded, unconsciousness finally claiming him.

Tsunade and a few ANBU landed behind Naruto. She saw his hands and couldn't help but gasp. Naruto halted his healing and turned to his godmother.

"I've fixed anything serious," Naruto said coldly, dusting off his pants, "You should be able to take care of the rest."

"Naruto," Tsunade called out, almost desperately, "I-I'm… I'm sorry," Tsunade looked up at Naruto, and she would regret that she did.

"Of course, you are," Naruto said in the coldest tone imaginable, "Not like it changes anything."

The blonde left the Sanin standing there with tears in her eyes as he jumped out of the crater.

Naruto landed in front of his parent's, Jiraya, and teammates, startling most of them. He walked past his parents, completely ignoring them, and went right up to Hinata and Satsuki.

"I'm sorry about that," Naruto said in a friendly tone, "I know we didn't get to do team introductions because of me. So, how about we go to Ichiraku Ramen and all get to know each other a bit more. My treat."

The two Genin just nodded in response. Naruto began walking off the Training Ground, like nothing weird had happened. Satsuki and Hinata followed him, after bowing to the Hokage and his wife.

Minato hadn't moved since his son jumped down into the crater. He was completely lost in his own thoughts.

 _I need to talk to Kakashi as soon as he is better._

 **(Time Skip: The Next Day)**

 **(Location: Hokage's Office)**

Minato sat behind his desk, as per usual. Jiraya stood to his right and Tsunade to his left. Before him were the Jonin selected to lead Genin Cells from this graduation class. Among them were many of the strongest Jonin Konoha had to offer. Asuma Sarutobi, son the Third Hokage was the captain of the newest generation of Ino-Shika-Cho. He was a former member of the Guardian Shinobi 12, but had come back to Konoha after his service under the Daiymo. Next to him was Kurenai Yuhi, the Genjustsu Mistress of Konoha. She was the captain of Team 8, consisting of Kiba Inuzuka, Sakura Hurano, and Shino Aburame. The last Jonin in the line was his wife, Kushina, in charge of Team 11, which consisted of the Triplets. All of them wore their traditional shinobi attire. His wife was at the end of her report on her Genin cell. It was nothing he didn't expect.

The triplets had been fighting against and with one another since they started their training. They each had a feel for the others' power and watched each others' backs.

"So, I would say give them a week or so of D-Rank missions, then they should be ready to take on C-Rank missions," Kushina finished with a smile. She then stepped back into line with the others.

"Great, then Teams 7-11 passed," Minato took a quick note, "I still need to get the report on Team 7's test, but until then, I will start assigning D-Rank Missions to-"

Minato was cut off when his slowly opened to show a mostly healed Kakashi. He was lacking his usual flak jacket and his hair wasn't being held up by his headband, but aside from that he dressed normally.

"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi said with an eye-smile, "The hospital wasn't letting me out of bed so I had to sneak out."

"They weren't letting you out because you still need rest," Tsunade said a little annoyed that the Copy Ninja let without her releasing him.

"No need to worry," Kakashi said defensively, "I'll go right back after I give my report."

Minato sat up at that, and the rest in the room had their interest peaked as well.

"Yes," Kurenai started, "I would love to hear about how a Genin put you in the hospital."

The Jonin, minus Kakashi and Kushina all laughed, while Kakashi seemed more annoyed than anything.

"I don't know why you're laughing," Kakashi's words shut everyone up, "It took him ten minutes to defeat me, it wouldn't take half the time for him to beat the rest of you."

Kakashi's words had a range of response. Some blew off his words, while others took it to heart. Most were insulted at the very notion of a Genin being able to defeat them. Their anger was barely kept in check by their respect for the situation.

"Well," Minato said, looking at his former student, "Since you're here, go ahead with your report on Team 7."

Kakashi gave a slight nod, then took a step-in front of the rest of the Jonin. He looked right at Minato with his one open eye.

"To start, Hinata Hyuuga and Satsuki Uchiha are excellent. Their bloodline runs strong in their veins. Satsuki can sling destructive Ninjutsu like it's second nature to her and if you get anywhere near Hinata, your chakra network is as good as shut down," Kakashi stretched a bit, still feeling one of the shots he took from Hinata, "They are likely going to be among the best in their clans when they grow up."

Kurenai had a happy smile as she thought about Hinata. She had personally trained the girl for a few years, helping her out of her shell and making her into a confident young woman.

"What about Naruto?" Minato's words were short, but filled with curiosity and desperation.

"He…" Kakashi started, then took a moment to think about their fight, "Well for starters, he found out the meaning of the bell test almost instantly. He let Hinata and Satsuki attack first so they would be more willing to work together after realizing they can't fight me alone."

Kakashi looked around the room, taking note of how closely Kushina was listening.

"When we started to fight, he used a gold and black staff. It was about two meters long," Kakshi then shifted his attention to Minato, "He used it perfectly, no obvious holes in his technique. He even shattered two chakra enhanced kunai I was using."

This enticed murmurs from those present, but they silenced when Kakashi started talking again.

"I then separated from him, deciding to attack from a distance," Kakashi let out a low chuckle, "That was when things went downhill."

Before anyone could react, Kakashi continued his report.

"I started going through the signs for Fireball Jutsu, but Naruto made one hand sign and used Majestic Destroyer Flame," At that, many of the Jonin erupted into grumbles, Asuma was the only one to speak out.

"You mean to tell me that a Genin used a Katon Jutsu that Madara Uchiha created?" Asuma was obviously skeptical.

"He used it perfectly, Asuma," Kakashi said, deadly serious, "It was unlike any Katon Jutsu I have ever seen. I had to use the Hirashin to escape."

This got everyone's attention. Most of those present knew that Kakashi had started training with Minato in an attempt to learn the Hirashin, but it was never public knowledge whether he succeeded or not.

Minato had known about his former student completing his training, but he was curious how Kakashi had been defeated after using the Hirashin. He wasn't the only one with that question either.

"How was he able to counter the Hirashin?" This question came from Jiraya.

"He used a seal that didn't allow me to exert my chakra onto any seals or weapons," Kushina and Minato's eyes widened at that while most others gasped.

"What could something like that do if it ended up in the hands of our enemies?" Kurenai asked as she thought about how disastrous that could be.

"To think he is that far along in Fuinjutsu…" Minato started, losing himself in his thoughts.

Jiraya was in an equally stunned state. He, Minato and Kushina had just recently come up with a counter to the Hirashin, and that took them years to accomplish. For Naruto to be able to do that on his own was unimaginable.

"But didn't he still have to place the seal on you? There's no way he could keep up with you when you are using the Hirashin," Tsunade seemed like she was desperate for an explanation now.

"When I tried teleporting around to different markers to disorient him, he responded with a Futon jutsu that disrupted my timing for a second. That was all he needed to close in on me and place the seal," Kakashi held his chest, still remembering the tackle and palm strike he took when Naruto placed the seal.

"Wait, so he could use Futon and Katon?" Kushina asked from behind Kakashi.

"Doton and Raiton as well. He used Doton for both attack and defense but only used one Raiton jutsu," Many in the room were outright questioning Kakashi now, blurting out question, obviously not believing the Copy Ninja.

"Silence," Minato shut them all up with one word, and a bit of chakra, "What happened after he placed the seal on you?"

"To put it bluntly, he kicked my ass," The Copy Ninja said nervously, "He moved too fast for me to react and just threw me around the clearing he made with his Katon jutsu. His punches were as hard as Guy when he's opened the Sixth Gate, maybe even harder."

Everyone was too stunned to speak now.

"He landed a combo on me that fractured most of the bones in my arms and legs. Add to that the kicks and punches I took to my jaw and chest, I'm lucky to still be in one piece," Kakashi thought about the one attack he landed on Naruto, "The only hit I got on him was when he thought I was defeated. He had landed a takedown on me, cracking most of my ribs in the process. He rolled over me and drew his knives to pin me to the ground, but I countered by catching his head between my feet and slamming him headfirst into the ground."

Kakashi looked lost in thought as he continued.

"His head was completely underground and he sat there limp for a few seconds," Kakashi looked back up at Minato, "When I tried to get up to leave, he pulled himself out and spit out a few teeth."

Kushina looked horrified, but when she thought about it, Naruto looked fine when he left with his teammates.

"There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him when we arrived," Minato pointed out.

"I think he has a regenerative factor similar to Tsunade-sama's Mitotic Regeneration," Kakashi said, shocking everyone in the room again, but none as much as Tsunade, "The only thing is that his seemed natural. He didn't have to release chakra or break a seal to heal. By the time he pulled himself out of the ground, he was talking normally."

This baffled everyone in the room as they found it hard to believe the Copy Ninja.

"I am more than willing to get Inoichi in here and let him confirm everything I am telling you," Kakashi said more to the room than to Minato.

"That won't be necessary, I trust you," Minato looked over at the other Jonin, "As the rest of us should."

The Jonin all looked away, most ashamed of their actions.

"Continue please," Minato said, returning his attention to Kakashi. The Copy Ninja responded with a firm nod.

"While I was in awe of the fact that he was still conscious, Naruto seized the opportunity and pinned me to the center to the clearing using Doton," Kakashi then looked around for a moment.

Before the Jonin could swamp Kakashi with questions, Minato sat forward.

"What was the Raiton attack he used?" Minato asked, all eyes shifted to Kakashi immediately after.

"He called it Kirin," Kakashi felt an ache in his body as he remembered Naruto's last attack, "That was the attacked that completely destroyed the training ground. He called down a dragon made of lightning to strike me while I couldn't move."

Minato couldn't imagine taking a shot that could destroy an entire training ground, but before he could ask how Kakashi survived, his student answered it.

"He let up at the end, hitting me with only 25% of the jutsu's full potential, otherwise I would be dead right now," Kakashi's eyes seemed blank as he thought back to Naruto's last attack, "He is far beyond any Genin I've even heard of, both mentally and physically."

Minato and Kushina were a combination of proud and saddened. They were proud of the fact that Naruto had come so far, but sad that he had done it without them.

"My recommendation for Team 7 is that you put us on active duty as soon as I am released from the hospital," Kakashi stood straight up as he completed his recommendation, "It would be a waste to have the three on my sit in the village doing D-Rank missions. They could help alleviate the recent influx of jobs we have been receiving from the Land of Wind."

Minato was shocked at the suggestion. There had never been a Genin team that didn't do at least a few weeks of D-Rank missions before heading out on their first real mission. All of the Jonin started at him in shock. If a Genin team messed up on a mission, it was very likely that lives would be lost. For a Captain to proceed without the D-Rank training period was beyond gutsy.

"Are you sure about this Kakashi?" Minato seemed hesitant, but he trusted Kakashi just as much as he did Kushina or Jiraya.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," Kakashi said dead seriously, "Naruto has the potential to be the strongest in his generation. He is a prodigy that we can't afford to hold back anymore. I trust him to watch my back and his teammates trust him. They can work out the kinks as they go, but there is no reason to baby him, you never have before."

Kakashi's underhanded jab didn't go unnoticed by Minato, Jiraya, Kushina, or Tsunade. Minato took a moment to think before he let out a sigh.

"Fine, we will do this your way, Kakashi," Minato stood up and looked at the Jonin, "I will begin preparing D-Rank missions for all of your teams, with the exception of Team 7. When the rest of you think your teams are ready, come talk to me about taking C-Rank missions."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," They responded.

"Dismissed."

All of the Jonin made their way out, with the exception of Kushina and Kakashi.

"Kakashi-kun, you can't really expect you team to be ready for C-Rank missions already," Kushina said forcefully, "They need to learn to work as a team."

Kakashi was annoyed by his sensei's wife for second guessing him, and decided to show it.

"Alright Kushina-sama, if you think that my team isn't ready to take C-Rank missions, then why don't we have a little competition," Kakashi looked Kushina dead in the eye, "My team versus yours. I'm sure Naruto would love to get a few shots in on Menma and Mito."

Kushina prickled at the Copy Ninja's words, but was kept in check by Minato.

"That's enough, both of you," Minato looked at Kakashi, "I trust your judgement and I know that you will take care of your team. You and your team will escort and protect a bridge-builder named Tazuna. I'll send the mission details to your hospital room. You leave in five days."

Kakashi gave a firm nod and walked out of the office. Jiraya took the opportunity to speak.

"From what Kakashi said," The Toad Sage started, "You don't think that Naruto could be…"

As Jiraya fell silent, those still in the room did the same. All of them lost in their own thoughts.

 **(Time Skip: Five Days Later)**

 **(Perspective: Ace)**

Ace stood at the bottom of a valley in the Land of Wind, ankle deep in the blood of fallen soldiers. All of their bodies decorated the valley like a sick art display. Over 800 were in this party, most of them seasoned veterans with accomplished track records. Nothing they experience compared to this. Ace took a few breaths as he cleaned off his swords. He walked over to the body of a teenager on the bank of the river.

Ace couldn't help but pity the poor kid. He said a silent prayer for the teen and teleported away, leaving the mass slaughter there as a warning to the remaining forces.

After a few hours of the bodies decaying, a group of three women teleported to the center of the valley. The three looked around at the scene, one barely able to hold her lunch down.

"So, this is what he is capable of?" A beautiful brunette said, as she leaned over to close the eyes of a fallen soldier, "We haven't been contacted by the other five advance parties. It is likely that they suffered the same fate."

The brunette's words were short, but weighed heavy on the other two women present.

Another beautiful young woman with purple hair and nearly pale skin looked around the scene, looking for any signs of life.

"I don't get it," The purple-haired one said, "He has never attacked like this before. Why is he doing it now?"

She directed her question at the last woman present. This one was just as young as the purple-haired one. Her waist-length blonde hair seemed to glow in the moonlight. She was gorgeous as well, her fair skin and high cheekbones were the envy of many.

"No, but he has also never had a reason to," The blonde said softly.

"Well, what do we do now?" The brunette asked, "We are down over 7500 soldiers and we don't even have a foothold here yet."

She was obviously mad, not at those with her, but at the wasted lives and resources.

"We fall back for now," The blonde said, "He isn't letting us get set up for a reason. We need to find him before we can do anything else. Send a team to retrieve the bodies and clean up. "

"But Captain, wouldn't seeing something like this demoralize the troops?" The purple-haired beauty asked, worry heavy in her voice.

"They know what we're up against," The blonde captain said solemnly, "This should remind them of how dangerous this mission is."

She got a firm nod from the other two women. They began walking back to her as she stared up at the full moon.

 _Ace… Please stop this…_

"Captain Olivia," The purple-haired woman said, trying to get the bonde's attention.

"Sorry, Saeko, I was just thinking about something," Olivia's voice was soft. She extended her hand and the other two grabbed onto it.

The three teleported away, the sound of their departure echoing through the valley.

 **(Time Skip: A Few Hours)**

 **(Perception Change: Naruto)**

Naruto was waiting with his teammates by the gates of the village. They had their first mission today, and would be gone for a few weeks. Naruto was happy to be heading out. He loved traveling around with Ace, and was getting a little annoyed with his parent's constantly keeping an eye on him.

Ever since word got out about him destroying Training Ground 7 during his team's test, many of the villagers tried to get close to him. A few older Genin tried to act all buddy-buddy with him, but only angered Naruto. Most of the people in his apartment complex congratulated him, some even treating him to meals or taking him out for drinks, gestures that were appreciated by the blonde.

Naruto tried to bond with Hinata and Satsuki as well. While at first, the Uchiha heiress was skeptical of the blonde, Hinata talked her down and they started to form very close bonds. Satsuki loved to talk with Naruto, especially when he was talking about his travels. Satsuki and Hinata always wanted to travel the world, but their fathers were on the protective side, more for clan reasons than personal ones.

Naruto won over the Uchiha heiress when he offered to help her train. They sparred a bit, Naruto easily beating her, but pointing out her mistakes, helping her patch up the holes in her fighting styles. When he wanted to help her with Ninjutsu, he invited Hinata to join them. He told Hinata that it would benefit her to add some ranged ninjutsu to her arsenal, just in case she can't get close enough to use her Gentle Fist. They started seeing results almost immediately. Naruto tried to personalize their training as much as he could, which amazed the two Dojutsu heiresses. He seemed to have a firm understanding of their power and how to help them grow.

Kakashi got to see his team's newforming friendship when they would come to visit him. Most of the time it was after a training session. They would bring him some food from wherever they ate and talk with their Captain about a wide range of topics. Kakashi couldn't help but notice the looks the two girls gave Naruto.

Kakashi didn't want to bring that up quite yet, but he could tell that Naruto wasn't completely oblivious to their feelings either. He decided to wait for the time being, hoping that the opportunity to tease his students would arise.

Naruto snapped back to reality and looked up to see his sensei walking with a drunk old man. He couldn't help but smirk at the old man as he tried his best to walk straight.

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm a little surprised that you are on time today," Naruto joked, getting a chuckle from the Copy Ninja.

"Well everyone, this is Tazuna, he is our client for this job. We will be protecting him while he builds a bridge in the Land of Waves," The Jonin got a nod from his team.

"These are the ones in charge of keeping me alive, huh?" Tazuna said clumsily as he looked over Team 7, "Look like a bunch of hormonal teenager more worried about fucking than fighting."

Hinata and Satsuki were already annoyed by the comment, but Naruto was the first to speak.

"I mean, I guess," Naruto said looking around at his team, "But if were being honest, you look like you're more fit to fuck a cactus than build a bridge."

The two stared at each other for a moment, then erupted into laughter.

"I like you kid," Tazuna slurred.

"Most people do," Naruto said with a smirk.

And that is chapter six. I hope you enjoyed. One thing before I clock out here. The OST are just songs that I could imagine people fighting to. If you have any suggestions for songs, just leave me a review and I will check them out.

As per usual, any and all feedback is appreciated. Just leave me a review or PM. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

See, y'all soon.

Ace


	7. Chapter 7: Crossing Blades

**AN:**

Sorry this took a while to come out guys. School and work both decided to pick up at the same time and I didn't feel like I could make this chapter the same quality I wanted to. I rewrote this a few times but eventually decided to put the entire wave arc in one chapter. So, this chapter is around 12k words of new content, but I have a few things to address before we get to the new chapter.

I am grateful for all the support this Fic is getting so far. When I posted this chapter we were sitting above 250 favs and 300 follows. It is steadily growing, which is nice as a writer. I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story and I hope you continue to do so.

Harems/Naruto's sisters

So, a lot of you guys have said that you want me to move Naruto's sisters to his harem. I will tell you my opinion first. As of right now, we haven't seen much of the Triplets, aside from the one chapter when Naruto came back. You guys don't know what I have planned for the character interactions and confrontations in the upcoming chapters. So, I don't agree when you say that Naruto should be matched with his sisters based on their characters so far. Ace will be playing a role in the upcoming chapters, so he will get to interact with Naurmi and Mito on multiple occasions. I also think that putting both of Naruto's sisters with Naruto is rather cliche. I feel like I can make more out of their characters if I do a different kind of relationship between them. BUT, I am willing to appease you guys to a certain extent, so I am willing to make you a deal. I will move Narumi to Naruto's harem, as I can understand why, up to this point, I understand why you guys would ship them. BUT Mito will remain with Ace. Those two will have a major subplot in the next arc, and I am not going to scrap the idea before it even gets a chance to launch. I will give it some time between Ace and Mito and if I feel like the relationship if too forced or unnatural, then I will scrap the idea. But I am not at that point. I personally feel like you guys are gonna like all the shit that is coming with the Chunin Exams, so I just want you to be patient with me.

As for the rest of the harem business, Naruto might get an addition or two, but all of the characters that are in Naruto or Ace's harem will each have a subplot that I think will work with their characters and bring out the best in both Naruto and Ace. So unless I have overwhelming feedback demanding a certain pairing that I dont have, I wont really be swapping the girls between the harems. I am willing to make additions in the next few chapters, so keep the feedback coming. I want to get these things set before we get too far in the story. I have heard some ideas already, and I will respond to those in the reviews section below.

 **Reviews:**

Donthedarkdragon26: I was trying! I've rewritten this chapter three times trying to get it just right. I hope you enjoy it. I should be getting the next one out before the weekend.

Lara5170: His reserves have grown. You will see that this chapter.

KunaiKyuubi77: I understand what you are saying, and I am making the deal with you from above. Give me a few chapters and then we can talk about this again. I hope you enjoy the chapters.

EvilMagicman: I'm glad you like what I did with Kakashi. I didn't like how he was made into a one dimensional character that played dumb when I came to Naruto. I tried to fix that role and make him a character than Naruto could actually trust. I completely agree with you not wanting the sisters in Naruto's harem. I hope my deal with those that do want it doesn't anger you. I personally am against it, but respect the feedback I am getting enough to make the change. Thanks for telling me bout the misspelled Hiraishin.

Gammagyro: That is a lot to think about. I don't want to go full on cross over, but I like some of the ideas you have. I will see what I can do. Keep me posted on what you think. You always give me things to think about.

WindyCitySlayer1: I hope you are ok with what I have changed, let me know what you think.

Oto Mustam: I'm glad you liked it. Let me know what you think of this one.

Light 'Kira' Yagami: I was wondering if anyone would notice. They arent connected, just when I came up with the idea for Ace and his backstory, I was in the middle of the I Am Number Four series. I like the way they talk about their powers, the names they gave them, and the way their society was set up. Though, the only connection between my world and Pittsacus Lore's are the names I use. I hope Ace stays as your favorite character. He has a couple scnes here where you get a glimpse at his past, but he will become much more prominent in the near future. Let me know what you think about his scenes

Abbybazil: I wonder if you finished the story. I hope you did continue. Many of the things you brought up crossed my mind and I am glad that someone else had those ideas. I might want to talk to you about pre-reading my chapters if you are interested. You seem to have a good eye, so if you are game, just let me know.

Blazeemperor: Ace is an OC, he has been a passion-project of mine for a while now. I hope he continues to grow on you.

Mindovin: The main reason I want the characters to have a relationship that could get sexual. I don't think it would be right if I had 12-13 year olds having those types of relationships. I am going to continue the story normally, just make the time skips a bit shorter. He doesn't need the Hiraishin, he has Ace's teleportation power, that is greater than Minato's ability. All of Naruto's siblings have a third of the Nine Tails and can all use it. All jinchuriki die when their biju is extracted. Jiraya is odd. He will have a different path in this story, I will get to that later. Shizume is more than 2 years older than Naruto. Naruto is 17 while Shizune is 24. I will think about Mabui. I like that idea, maybe for Naruto.

Thor94: I'm glad you enjoy the changes I've made to the story so far. Let me know what you think of this chapter.

Lara5170: I hope you enjoy this chapter. You won't have to wait that long for Naruto's family to see their mistake. The toads will eventually meet Naruto.

Greer123: Naruto and Ace are far from unstoppable. You will see that Naruto and Ace have their glaring weaknesses, they just have to hide them. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Bigjo21: I just might. I wonder how I could swing that. I am not moving Anko, she and Ace are gonna add a lot of humor to the story.

Ipaznokas1: I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Let me know what you think.

Djspundermun2001: I made you a deal. I hope you are cool with it.

WellStackedPizza: I made you the deal too.

Guest 1: Thanks. Let me know what you think of this one.

Guest 2: I'll think about it. I made you the deal as well.

Lostsammy: I am glad that you liked this chapter. Keep me posted on what you think.

John Lanford: Good. Hope you like this chapter.

Specterchilypepper: I made the deal with you as well. Let me know what you think about this chapter.

Ncpfan: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I understand what you mean about the age gap, so I might add a person or two to Naruto's to help broaden that a bit.

Lucian Naruto: Kushina will be strong as hell. I have an idea of what I can do with her power, so now I just need the opportunity to show it. She will be as strong as a kage, jsut like any S-Class Shinobi should be.

NarutoKushina: They are beginning to question the situation now. This chapter will just make things worse. I can't wait for Naruto to use the Moukton. I have a few scenarios in my head. The chains would be cool, but I just don't know if he would need them. I might just say "fuck it" and throw it in for the emotional aspect. The tension between the Triplets will culminate during the Chunin Exams. I have been studying other tournament arcs and drafting the chapters. I can say that they might just be the best chapters I have written so far. I'm glad you liked the fight, there is another big one here. I like the idea of Ayame. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

SoloHellZro: I hope you are happy. I am ok with that pairing, just not Mito.

Shadow assassin 96: I'm glad that you are liking the story, even more so that you are enjoying Ace. Ill think about Mei and Naruto, that could be fun. Please let me know what you think about this chapter.

UnsanMusho:Thank you. Hopefully you like this one too.

Namittheking: Thank. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Now onto the story...**

 **Chapter 7: Crossing Blades**

 **(Scene: The Road to Wave)**

Team 7 and Tazuna were making good time on their voyage to Wave Country.

Tazuna and Naruto were harassing each other most of the trip, which was entertaining to their entire party. On more than one occasion, Tazuna offered Naruto alcohol, which Naruto politely declined. Since they past the halfway point in their trip, Naruto felt that something was off. He branched out from the party a few times to try and figure out what was going on, but he didn't find anything.

As he tried to sense anything that might be out of sight in the surrounding area, he was stopped by Hinata and Satsuki. Their eyes were fixed on a pair of puddles about 25 feet in front of them. Naruto instantly understood their hesitation. Tazuna was confused.

"Why are we stopping?" Tazuna said, he was sober at the moment. Satsuki looked over her shoulder, her Sharingan activated.

"This is a trap," Satsuki's words were barely audible. Tazuna was more than a little skeptical of the girl.

"Those are puddles…" Tazuna said with a deadpan expression.

Satsuki was a little annoyed by the bridge-builder now.

"And have we seen any rain since we left Konoha?" Tazuna's eyes widened at the Uchiha's words. Kakashi couldn't help but smirk at his team's awareness.

Naruto looked at the puddles for a moment, then felt a chakra presence emanating from them. Naruto slowly reached behind his back and drew his knives. He made eye contact with Hinata and Satsuki, both of their Dojutsu meeting cerulean blue. They gave him a quick nod and Naruto blurred out of sight.

Naruto appeared on the other side of the two puddles, his arms both raised over his head. His then whipped his arms down, throw both knives at the two puddles. Rather than the blade sticking in the ground, there was a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared, the blades were in the ankles of two Kiri shinobi. They let out a cry in pain, but Naruto's attack was not over.

Naruto made a Tiger Hand Sign, then lifted his open hands towards the Demon Brothers.

" **Futon: Wind Pulse** ," Naruto shot out a strong gust of wind from his palms that sent the Demon Brothers flying towards a waiting Uchiha and Hyuuga.

In sync, Satsuki drew a kunai and Hinata settled in her 8-Trigrams fighting stance. Satsuki stabbed Gozu in the heart as he flew helplessly through air. Hinata stuck Meizu with a chakra palm to the heart, killing him instantly.

As the Demon Brothers laid in a lifeless heap on the ground, Satsuki and Hinata realized what happened. Their bodies had moved on their own, acting entirely on the shared instincts they had built with Naruto. When they looked at the corpses of their first kills, they felt sick.

Kakashi figured that they would get their first kill early, but he didn't expect his team to fight this quickly. They had only been out of the Leaf for a few days. He was about to go and try to calm down his team, but Naruto beat him to it.

"Look at me," Naruto said softly, both of the girls were trembling, tears running down their face. Naruto placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

The girls looked up to see Naruto's small smile, his eyes softer than they had ever seen before. They watched with baited breath as he slowly pulled them into a hug. Their bodies tensed ever more as he held them close.

"You are gonna be okay," Naruto whispered to them, his warm tone making them ease a bit, "It will get easier. This doesn't make you a bad person. It is our job to protect those that can't protect themselves."

Naruto pulled them closer as he finished, the warmth of his body soothing their tense figures. The Dojutsu heiresses slowly closed their arms around him, their trembling stopped. The three sat there for a moment, the Hyuuga and Uchiha letting out a few silent tears at the death of their innocence.

Naruto eventually pulled away from them when he felt their crying stop. He looked at their beautiful faces and flash his trademark smile. The two girls couldn't help but fluster at the sight as their sensei held back his giggles.

"Now isn't this the cutest thing ever," Kakashi said gushingly, "Getting a flustered reaction from his team as they all separated from each other, "It is just the sweetest thing to watch you three share such a loving embrace."

Naruto's face was beat red as he looked at his sensei.

"It wasn't like that!" The blonde yelled, a flustered Uchiha and Hyuuga were nodding nervously behind him.

"Of, course it wasn't," Kakashi said playfully, "At least not yet."

For the next couple hours Kakashi would occasionally harass them, but was internally grateful to Naruto for helping Hinata and Satsuki through their first kill. When he watched his team dispatch the two Chunin flawlessly, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. His team was working together because they wanted to, not because they had to. Their cohesion was nearly perfect, overtime they could become quite the threat if they kept down this path.

Team 7 was closing in on their destination when all the shinobi felt a disturbance. Satsuki was the first to react, launching a kunai at a bush to their right. The kunai stuck the wood above a snow-white rabbit, scaring the hell out of the animal, but the exodus of the rodent didn't ease their senses at all.

"So, you two felt it too?" Hinata asked as she noticed Naruto and Satsuki still scanning the area. Before either could answer, a massive blade flew right for them. Hinata tackled Tazuna to the floor, while Satsuki and Kakashi ducked down to avoid getting bisected. Naruto swung his feet to his chest in high-jump-form and let the blade pass safely underneath him.

The blade curved upwards and sunk into a tree trunk about five feet above their heads. A man landed on the blade. He was tall and slender, his short, spiky, brown hair sitting on top of his head, behind his Kiri forehead-protector. He wore high-waisted gray pants with thin black stripes running vertically down the legs. He had white and brown camouflaged stalkings on his shins and forearms. Across his chest was a navy-blue strap that held the massive blade he was standing on. On is feet were blue shinobi sandals. His face was covered in medical bandages, but his eyes bore into the Leaf Shinobi.

"Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi said, recognizing the wielder of the Executioner's Blade, "The Demon of the Mist."

Zabuza let out a deep chuckle that sounded almost demonic.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan," Zabuza gave a quick look over the rest of the team, his eyes settling on the blonde with dual swords on his back that was standing up on a tree branch across from him, "No wonder the Demon Brother's failed to take down the Bridge-Builder."

Zabuza let out another laugh as Kakashi raised his fore-head protector, revealing is Sharingan for the world to see. Kakashi was tense at the arrival of the Demon of the Mist.

 _I had my doubts after the two Chunin we faced earlier, but this definetly isn't a C-Rank mission_ , Kakashi thought as he scanned the area, looking for potential backup. He noticed a Hunter Ninja and a small group of Kiri shinobi standing about 100 feet away, their eyes fixed on the Kiri Shinobi.

"Give me the Bridge-Builder and I will let you all live," Zabuza's tone made Hinata's and Satsuki's skin crawl. He had a terrifying presence that seemed to smother them. Before they could panic, Kakashi responded to the Missing Nin.

"That's not gonna happen," Kakashi said as he slid into a fighting stance, "We are shinobi of Konoha and we won't stand by while you or your employer hurt innocent people."

Zabuza let out another sinister laugh as he jumped to the ground, pulling out his sword from the tree stump. He pointed the massive blade at Hinata, Satsuki, and Kakashi. Tazuna hid behind the shinobi, but they were all stunned when a blur of yellow flew towards Zabuza.

Naruto slammed one of his swords into Zabuza, who barely was able to block the attack. The Kiri shinobi was knocked into the air and sent out into the water past the forest.

"Naruto!" Satsuki yelled, "What the fuck are you doing!?"

"It's not every day that you get to fight one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman of the Mist," Naruto turned back to them with a massive smile on his face, "I plan on making the most of this opportunity."

Tazuna took the opening to run away and find cover.

Naruto jumped off after the Demon of the Mist, leaving the rest of Team 7 behind. Satsuki and Hinata were about to go after him, but were stopped when a half dozen shinobi stopped in front of them.

The first was the Hunter Nin Kakashi noticed was watching the fight. They branched out into a semi-circle formation, cutting off Satsuki and Hinata. The Hunter Nin had her long, straight black hair pulled into a white bun holder with two long bangs framing her mask. The mask was a typical, white Kiri ANBU mask with a red swirl swinging over from the right side of the mask and settling above her nose. She wore a pinstriped under shirt that completely covered her arms and stopped just below her knee. She wore a blue-green haori with white trimmings that matched the color of her nail polish. She was a few inches taller than Hinata and Satsuki, and from the curves of her body, a little older.

"Your fight is with us," The Hunter Nin said as she pulled out three Senbon Needles in each hand.

"Leave Zabuza to Naruto," Kakashi said as he closed his non-Sharingan eye and pulled out a kunai, "Trust your teammate."

Kakashi's words steeled the girls' resolve. The Copy Ninja had complete faith in Naruto. He knew that no matter what, Naruto would pull out of the fight, so he just had to make sure Hinata and Satsuki did the same.

The two parties looked at each other for a minute, each group daring the other to make a mistake. Before either party attacked, they felt an explosion of chakra coming from two sources. A massive gust of wind shot from the area Naruto and Zabuza went off to, getting everyone's attention as waves, tree branches, and rocks flew past them.

"Zabuza-sama…" The Hunter Nin mumbled, feeling a familiar chakra in the distance.

 **(Scene Change: The Body of Water Between the Land of Fire and Wave Country** )

Zabuza shot out of the forest like a bullet. He landed about 50 feet off the shore and noticed a three-inch cut in his sword. He then looked back towards the coast just in time to see a blonde blur barrel towards him.

Zabuza barely ducked under a black-bladed sword that otherwise would've removed his head form his shoulders. He turned around to see the same blonde from the forest standing on the surface of the water, about 20 feet from him. The blonde had one katana drawn in his right hand. The blade was slim, maybe two inches thick, but the very sight of it made Zabuza uneasy. The golden pommel seemed to shine abnormally bright, giving the sword a mythic feel.

"That's a very nice blade you have there," Zabuza said, a smirk forming under his face cover.

"Thank you," Naruto said, spinning the blade around nimbly, "Yours is quite the sight as well."

Naruto looked at the Executioner's Blade and noticed the cut in it. A smirk formed on his face as Zabuza raised the blade up onto his shoulder.

"So, you and your sensei recognize me," Zabuza chuckled, "I guess my reputation really does precede me."

Zabuza let out another dark chuckle and as he pointed his blade at Naruto.

"Though, I'm more interested in your name," Zabuza looked right into Naruto's eyes, getting a good feel of the blonde's attitude, "Anyone that has the balls to face one of the Seven Ninja Swordsman deserves that much."

Naruto reached behind him and slowly drew his second blade. It looked identical to the first. Zabuza couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful blades in front of him.

"Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki," Naruto said as he spun both blades in his hands.

"I've heard of you," Zabuza said his grin growing, "You're the Hokage's eldest child. Rumor is you left Konoha at the age of five. Looking at that headband, it looks like you went back home, huh?"

Naruto let out a low chuckle.

"I wouldn't call it home yet," The blonde then pointed the blades at the Demon of the Mist, "But yes, I recently went back."

Naruto noticed the slightest of shifts as Naruto confirmed his return to the Leaf. Before he could ask anything Zabuza spoke in a truly terrifying tone.

"It's not very often that I get to have a sword fight, kid," Zabuza slid into a fighting stance, "I wonder how good the son of the Red Death is with his swords."

Zabuza started emitting a staggering amount of chakra. The dark purple wisps whipped around, greatly disturbing the surface of the water. Naruto responded by releasing just as much chakra as the Demon of the Mist. Zabuza let out an absolutely maniacal laugh as his chakra collided with Naruto's in a wild clash.

"This should be fun," Zabuza said, his evil smirk matched only by Naruto's.

 **(OST- Shy Carter, Bring It Back)**

With that, Zabuza charged right at Naruto with surprising speed. He swung down on Naruto, aiming right for the boy's center. Naruto crossed his blades in and "X" and caught the massive sword in between his blades. The collision sent a shockwave out that ripped off branches from trees and sent water crashing towards the shore. Zabuza's smirk only grew as the blonde shoved his blades up, pushing the Demon of the Mist off of him, Zabuza did a quick back-flip as the blonde charged.

Naruto swung both blades from his right, only to be blocked by Zabuza. His swords cut into Zabuza's blade. The blades were about an inch deep before the former ANBU shoved the blonde back. He then shifted his grip on his sword and did a wide horizontal strike at waist-height.

Naruto jumped over the blade, much like he did when Zabuza threw the blade earlier. Only this time Naruto jumped exactly one inch above the blade, letting the massive sword pass him by, once again. He landed and took his advantage to strike Zabuza with two diagonal strikes to the Demon's chest.

Zabuza saw this attack coming, but wasn't fast enough to move out of the way. Zabuza seperated from the blonde for a moment, the two cuts were barely deep enough to draw blood, but Naruto was just starting his assault.

Naruto ran right up to Zabuza and slid under the swordsman's first strike. He drifted to the right of the taller man, dragging his blades along the Demon's side. These cuts were much deeper than the first one, both letting a good portion of blood spill out and run down the Kiri shinobi's side. Zabuza gave the slightest of winces as Naruto cut him, giving the blonde just enough time to attack again.

Naruto spun back around towards Zabuza's face, and slashed upwards across the man's chest. Zabuza now had two deep wounds across his chest, but the Demon didn't flinch this time. Instead, he swung his blade, one handed and forced Naruto to jump back, but not before giving him a deep cut right underneath his chest. Naruto's concentration was broken for a split second, but that was all Zabuza need to land a devastating right cross to Naruto's cheek.

The blonde went flying 15 feet back and landed on his feet. Zabuza had a massive smile on his face as he watched his blade fix itself from the blood of the blonde. He looked over to his opponent to see something he never expected.

Naruto stood up, showing his ruined cloak and shirt to the world. Before Zabuza's eyes, the wound started to steam and close at a rapid rate. Zabuza watched in awe as the wound closed. Naruto's blood did stain his shirt and cloak, leaving streaks of red below the cut in the fabric.

Naruto tossed his blades in the air for a moment, and Zabuza watched as he ripped the destroyed clothes off his chest to reveal his muscular frame. As the wound finished healing, Naruto extending his hands, leaving his palms facing the sky. His blades fell perfectly into his hands and he blurred out of focus, his speed on display.

Zabuza's instincts took over as he whipped around and raised his blade to block the blonde's attack. Amazed by the blonde's speed, Zabuza decided to fight defensively.

Naruto appeared to the right of the Demon of the Mist, but Zabuza was only able to prevent a fatal blow as Naruto cut right into his shoulder. Faster than Zabuza could defend against, Naruto appeared to his left and landed a similar strike.

Naruto then spun around Zabuza and slashed across the Demon's back.

A flurry of attacks ensued. Zabuza was playing damage control at this point, just trying to keep Naruto from killing him with each strike, while he waited for his moment to attack. His arms, chest, ribs, and back were all sliced in a flurry of steel and a blur of yellow.

With each strike, Zabuza felt stronger. It had been years since someone was able to challenge him in a sword fight, and as he felt each cut or slice, more and more adrenaline poured into his system, giving him the rush only captured during a life-or-death battle between two warriors.

Naruto blurred out of focus again, this time striking Zabuza in the back of his thigh, leaving a deep wound on the Demon of the Mist's right hamstring and dropping him to one knee. Zabuza predicted the blonde's next attack, raising his blade horizontally to block the blondes overhead attack.

Naruto brought both blades down on Zabuza's sword, his swords cutting a few inches into the _Executioner's Blade_. He wasn't expecting for Zabuza to use this to his advantage.

Zabuza yanked his blade to the right, disrupting the blonde just enough for him to swing his blade out and claim the blonde's throat.

Naruto backed up enough to avoid losing his head, but the shot he took from Zabuza cut cleanly though his Jugular and Trachea. The blonde's eyes went wide for a moment, then blurred out of sight once more. He appeared about five feet from Zabuza, facing the Demon.

Zabuza's smirked as he watched the blood pour out of the blonde's throat and out of the sides of his mouth. But once again, Naruto's wound began to steam and close. Zabuza looked into Naruto's eyes as the wound closed. Gone were the eyes of a child that had been there at the beginning of the fight. Now he had the eyes of a killer. All of Zabuza's instincts told him to run for it, but his body wasn't responding. He was in too much awe of watching the blonde recover from the fatal wound in a matter of seconds.

As the wound finished closing, blood still ran down Naruto's chest and abs. Zabuza had to admit that the blonde looked terrifying. Naruto looked right at the Demon of the Mist, and spoke.

"I've underestimated you," Naruto rolled his neck, releasing a series of pops much like he did against Kakashi, "That won't happen again."

Before Naruto could charge Zabuza, something smashed into the water next to them. The collision sent tidal waves crashing towards the surface, it pulled the two fighters' attention. They turned to see Kisame Hoshikagki standing there with his usual sadistic smile. He was wearing a navy-blue cloak with red clouds on it. His sword, Samehada, was wrapped in bandages on his back.

"Sorry," Kisame's deep voice cut through the silence like a knife, "I tried to just stand by and watch, but this just looks like too much fun. I'm sure you two won't mind if I jump in, right?"

 **(OST- END)**

 **(Scene Change- Team 7 vs. Kiri Shinobi)**

Kakashi and Haku had separated from Satsuki, Hinata and the other Kiri shinobi. Kakashi was caught off guard by Haku's use of Hyoton. He knew that the bloodline was a native to Kiri, but when the Hunter Nin trapped him in her Crystal Ice Mirrors, he was put on the defensive. The fight seemed even at the moment. Haku was trying to catch Kakashi off guard, but Kakashi's experience in life-or-death situations gave him a great advantage. He was purposely staying inside the dome of ice, even though he had a Hiraishin kunai outside the dome. He was able to keep up with the Hunter Nin's movements and didn't want to tip his hand to early. He noticed the vast amounts of chakra the technique consumed, and decided that he should hold back for the time being and let the enemy wear herself out. Kakashi knew that he might have to help Naruto with Zabuza or help the girls with the other Kiri shinobi, so he needed to conserve his chakra.

Satsuki and Hinata were a little worse for wear. Hinata had managed totake down one of the Kiri Chunin, and Satsuki another, but they were two Genin facing six Chunin. They were outmatched. Their teamwork and training with Naruto helped narrow the gap, but they were fast approaching their limit, and had only taken out a third of the enemies in front of them. Hinata had a few cracked ribs and Satsuki had a few deep cuts on her back.

Both the Kiri Chunin and the Leaf Genin were curious about Naruto and Zabuza's fight. They heard the constant clashing of swords and could feel the chakra pressure in the air from the fight, but none of them could tell how the fight was going.

Satsuki and Hinata were fighting very defensively, like Naruto taught them to when they were at a disadvantage. The Kiri Chunin were about to attack again, when there was an eruption of chakra sent everyone flying. Satsuki and Hinata recognized a portion of the chakra as Naruto's, another portion likely belonged to Zabuza, but there was a third presence that was equal to Naruto's. They were barely able to stand under the pressure, but the wave of golden chakra that sliced right through the trees along the shore nearly killed the Kiri shinobi. They got a clear view of a now shirtless Naruto, who had blood all over his chest. To his right, was Zabuza who had numerous injuries all over his body, but none of them seemed to bother him in the slightest. The third figure was another man, wearing a navy-blue cloak with red clouds on it. He had an absolutely massive sword on his back, that seemed to be alive when the Dojutsu heiresses looked at it with their bloodlines.

"Th-th-that's Kisame!" One of the Chunin shouted in horror, "We need to get out of here now!"

All of the Chunin seemed ready to shit themselves as they picked up their downed comrades and ran off as fast as they could. Satsuki and Hinata wanted to go and help Naruto, but they were terrified. Neither of them had ever experienced this much chakra being released, and their bodies shut down under the smothering presence. All they could do was watch helplessly as Naruto, Zabuza, and Kisame all stared each other down, Kisame and Naruto having petrifying grins on their face.

Kakashi and Haku felt the chakra explosion, but refused to lose focus on their opponent. Kakashi trusted Naruto, but the third presence he felt was on par with the blonde.

 _Naruto…_ Kakashi thought, _I'm trusting you, Naruto._

Kakashi was about to attack when the Ice Mirrors from Haku's attack formed a complete dome. Kakashi had a bad feeling about his position, but for some reason he couldn't teleport out.

"Welcome to my domain, Kakashi-san," Haku said as dozens of her appeared around the dome, "This is the final form of my Crystal Ice Mirrors. I am using my chakra to create a separate area that is sealed off from the outside world. This technique has effectively disrupted that teleportation jutsu you had in your back pocket. Now I will end this Kakashi-san."

The countless Haku's all formed Senbon out of ice and launched them towards Kakashi.

 _Well, this might be a little harder than I thought,_ Kakashi thought as he made handsigns.

 **(Scene Change- Zabuza vs. Naruto vs. Kisame)**

"Hoshigaki," Zabuza said as he eyed his fellow swordsman, "What are you doing here?"

Zabuza's tone was extremely hostile. Before him was the lone member of the Seven Ninja Swordsman that was stronger than him. Kisame Hoshigaki wields the strongest of the blades, _Samehada_. Zabuza and Kisame had clashed in the past, the outcome ending in Kisame's favor.

"What?" Kisame said innocently, "I can't visit my fellow Ninja Swordsman and make him an offer?"

Kisame's tone made Zabuza uneasy.

"What are you talking about?" Zabuza noticed that his blonde opponent was interested in Kisame's words as well.

"You see, my group is looking for some select individuals that can help us achieve our goals," Kisame said, his grin growing, "I figure you might be a little weak, but you have a tendency to fight better against stronger opponents. I still have the scars from our last bout."

Kisame rubbed a spot on his ribs, while Zabuza gripped his blade tighter.

"Fuck off, Hoshigaki, I'm not interested in joining you fraternity of misfits," Zabuza spat.

"You don't even know anything about our group, yet you rush to judgement," Kisame let out a low laugh as he eyed his fellow swordsman.

"All I need to know is that you are in it. You're the one person from the Blood Mist with a higher body count than me," Kisame laughed at Zabuza again.

"Good times," Kisame growled. "How about this…"

"I'll kill this blonde brat and his friends fighting those chunin, and then I'll beat you within an inch of your life and drag you back with me," Kisame threatened.

Kisame released a massive amount of chakra. Zabuza released a staggering amount of chakra, though it was still sizably less than Kisame. Naruto, who had been silent the entire time, released the same amount of chakra as Kisame, surprising both swordsmen.

"I guess there really is no holding back anymore, huh Zabuza-san," Naruto said cheekily.

"Oh," Kisame said, now dawning an evil smirk as he turned to Naruto, "This might be more fun than I expected."

Naruto let out a maniacal laugh as he pointed a blade at each of his opponents.

"Kami must be smiling down on me today," A truly terrifying grin settled on Naruto's face, "To fight not one, but two of the Seven Ninja Swordsman. Shall we?"

Kisame drew _Samehada_ and Zabuza rose his blade. Naruto flipped the grip of his swords, so the blades were pointing out to the sides.

 **(OST- Motley Crue, Kickstart My Heart)**

Naruto swung his blades, sending a crescent of bright gold chakra at the older swordsmen. Zabuza jumped over it, while Kisame cut right though the center of it. The crescent sent at Zabuza cut right through the trees on the coast, clearing a view for Hinata and Satsuki to see Naruto.

Naruto was too focused on his battle to notice the worried expressions on his teammates faces. On an instinct, he turned and blocked a strike that would've cut him in half horizontally. Kisame gave a smile as he pushed Naruto back a few feet. Naruto shoved Kisame's blade back and went for a kick to the man's ribs, but had to dodge a strike that would've cut through him and Kisame.

Zabuza's sword collided with Kisame's, dark purple chakra rolling off of him. Both men made eye contact for a moment, then Naruto appeared in between both, the only hint that he moved was a disturbing sound that neither Kisame or Zabuza would ever forget.

Naruto kicked out, nailing Zabuza under the chin with a front kick, and Kisame in the cheek with a back kick. Both swordsmen flew back a few feet as Naruto landed in between them.

Before Kisame could react, Naruto disappeared again, making that blood-chilling sound again, as he appeared in front of the Strongest Ninja Swordsman. Naruto brought his right sword, _Shinigami,_ up in a diagonal slashing motion, which Kisame barely managed to block. He then spun around in a half circle, shoving off _Samehada_ and stabbing Kisame in the ribs with his left sword, _Izanami._ Naruto buried the blade to the hilt, the sword cutting through many of Kisame's internal organs. Naruto then teleported behind Kisame and kicked him in the back of the head, sending the bleeding swordsman right at Zabuza.

Zabuza looked ready to land a killing blow, but Kisame made a hand sign and yelled, " **Suiton: Water Shockwave**!"

Kisame then shot a ridiculous amount of water from his mouth, creating a tidal wave that was over 50 feet tall. Naruto jumped into the air to avoid the wave, as did Zabuza.

Kisame decided to attack Naruto, appearing in front of the blonde in a blur of blue. Naruto was barely able to block the overhead strike, but was sent flying towards the surface of the water. He broke through the surface and Kisame fell back to the surface.

As Kisame landed, he made another hand sign and slammed his right hand on the surface of the water.

" **Suiton: Thousand Hungry Sharks** ," A wave of sharks swarmed towards Naruto, all of them swimming at breakneck speeds towards the blonde.

Naruto looked up to see the horde of sharks and extended his arms. A golden **Vector** appeared in front of his fists. It was about five feet in diameter, but released an earthshattering wave of sheer force that blasted back the wave of sharks as well as a large prortion of water.

Kisame and Zabuza were locked in a deadlock when the water behind them erupted like a volcano.

Naruto shot out of the gap in the water like a missile. He stopped about 20 feet above the surface of the water, tossed his swords to the side, and slammed his hands together in an Ox sign.

" **Ranton: Water Tornado**!" The water below Zabuza and Kisame shot up and formed a massive tornado of water, lightning crashed through the tornado, striking Zabuza and Kisame a few times. With Zabuza and Kisame getting caught in the center of the tornado, Naruto slammed his hands together again and shouted, " **Suiton:** **Water Bullet**!"

Naruto then spat out ten streams of water, each about a foot thick. The streams each pierced into the tornado. Two streams found each of the swordsmen, both of them blocking the shot with their swords. Naruto teleported the swords back into his hands and teleported behind Kisame axe kicking him down into the now hectic water. He then teleported to Zabuza and swung both swords at the swordsman's back. Zabuza was barely able to block the attack, but it only limited the damage. Naruto's blades cut right through the _Executioner's Blade_ and gave Zabuza two parallel cuts on his chest and abs.

Before Zabuza could regain his bearings, Naruto teleported behind the swordsman and gave slashed a nice deep "X" into the Demon's back. Zabuza gasped in pain as he landed on the surface of the water. Naruto was about end the Demon of the Mist, but Kisame shot up with an upward slash aimed right at Naruto. The blonde teleported away, giving himself some space from the two Kiri swordsmen. Zabuza did the same, giving himself some breathing room from Kisame and Naruto.

"You're good kid," Kisame said as he pulled of the remains of his tattered cloak, leaving only his skintight undershirt what had a few cuts in it. _Samehada_ healed the wounds on its wielder as Naruto sat back catching his breath, "I can tell that isn't the Fourth Hokage's technique. Mind filling in the blanks there?"

Naruto's breathing stabilized as he stood up straight.

"My teleportation ability is far beyond the Hiraishin," Naruto said, a bit angered at how Kisame compared Ace's power to his father's teleportation jutsu.

"I can tell. You don't have to go to a place you've marked. It seems like you are only limited to the places in your sightline, not to mention you can teleport your weapons to you. That's pretty useful," Kisame shifted _Samehada_ to his shoulder.

Naruto and Kisame were both eyeing each other when they heard demonic laughter coming from Zabuza.

"Ahhhhhhh," Zabuza exclaimed, "It seems you bastards have woken me up."

Kisame shifted defensively, making sure that Zabuza did not get a free shot on him.

"You ever hear why I'm called the Demon of the Mist, kid?" Zabuza said, his chakra signature rapidly growing.

Naruto and Kisame watched as purple chakra oozed from the Demon's wounds and slowed his bleeding. Zabuza let out another laugh as Naruto eyed him. Kisame decided to answer.

"The more damage Momochi takes, the more adrenaline his body produces," Kisame's eyes were bloodshot and his grin seemed larger than ever, "He is called the Demon of the Mist because the closer he gets to death, the stronger he gets."

Zabuza let out another maniacal laugh as he dragged his blade across the open wound on his chest. The blade fixed itself with its wielder's blood.

"I haven't felt this since I nearly killed the Mizukage," Zabuza's mask flew off to show his shark-like teeth and a massive smile, "I'll show you why I'm known throughout the Elemental Nations."

Zabuza raised his balde in the air and made a hand sign with his other hand.

" **Ninpo: Hidden Mist Jutsu** ," A thick, chakra-filled mist started to cover the area, distorting Naruto's chakra-sensing and not allowing him to see his surroundings.

Naruto felt his instincts take over as he raised his blades to the side, blocking Kisame with his right sword, _Shinigami_ and Zabuza with his left sword, _Izanami_. He then jumped slightly into the air allowing the two larger blades to meet underneath him.

Naruto tried to land kicks to his opponents, much like he did earlier in the fight, but didn't connect. Instead, he felt the two blades slam into him, _Samehada_ shredding his chest, while _The Executioner's Blade_ cut deep into his back.

Naruto then ducked under another strike from Zabuza and heard it connect with Kisame's chest. Zabuza then went on a rampage, cutting both Naruto and Kisame in a furry of steel and blood.

Naruto tried to teleport away, but Zabuza heard him appear and instantly zeroed in on him. Naruto felt _Samehada_ shred his left shoulder and _The Executioner's Blade cut off his right_ arm. Naruto acted on instinct and jumped into the air. He made a one-handed sign, and yelled, " **Futon: Great Breakthrough**!"

The Hidden Mist Jutsu dispersed to show Zabuza and Kisame slashing at each other, Zabuza currently out maneuvering Kisame. _Samehada_ had busted out of its bandages while Zabuza was covered in kisame and Naruto's blood.

Naruto raised his left sword and fired off a crescent of Aura. The attack moved much faster than his crescent of chakra. Zabuza took the hit, breaking a few ribs and leaving a nasty burn. Kisame tried to slash through the wave Aura, but the attack cut a few inches into _Samehada_ then exploded, the sword let out a screech in pain as Kisame was sent flying back 20 feet.

 **(OST- END)**

Both swordsmen snapped their attention to Naruto, who they were almost certain they had killed. Naruto landed on the surface of the water, blood covering his body and still missing his arm. Kisame and Zabuza watched in awe as Naruto's wounds all closed and his bones pieced themselves back together. Once all his other wounds healed, Naruto dropped his sword and put his left arm on the end of his severed right arm. Naruto's hand started glowing gold, then he did something that would be burned into the memory of both swordsmen.

In one motion, Naruto shot his hand down, his arm re-growing as his hand moved. The sounds the regeneration process made were the stuff of nightmares. Naruto gave a gasp of pain as he finished re-growing his arm. Naruto rolled the joints of his new arm, releasing a few nasty pops as he worked the kinks out.

Kisame and Zabuza were stunned as they watched the limb grow back. They expected Naruto to have a limit to his healing, but as they watched the blonde extend his re-grown limb, they felt a very unfamiliar sensation. Fear.

Naruto snapped his arms out, his swords shooting out of the water and into his hands. Sealing scripture then appeared on Naruto's arms. The black markings wrapped around his entire upper body like snakes. The markings burned red for a moment.

 _I can't use Mokuton out here, I'll deal with the repercussions for this later,_ Naruto thought as he felt his Aura and KI spike.

" **KAI!** " Naruto yelled as the seals that Ace put in place to limit his Aura and KI opened, sending out a gargantuan shock-wave.

 **(Perspective Change- Satsuki, Hinata, and Kakashi)**

Satsuki and Hinata had a front row seat to the most terrifying bout either of them could imagine. Naruto was going to-to-toe with two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Destructive jutsu had been flung, copious amounts of blood had been spilt, and a seemingly endless stream of chakra radiated from the fighters.

It took Kisame and Zabuza teaming up on Naruto to force the blonde out of the fight. Neither Hinata nor Satsuki could see into the Hidden Mist Jutsu, but they heard swords meeting flesh, over and over again. They felt sick when they saw Naruto jump out missing an arm and having countless slashes and shreds covering his body.

Kakashi's fight with Haku had ended when the Haku's dome was broken by one of Naruto's stray attacks. Haku was nearly at her limit, and Kakashi took full advantage, incapacitating the Hunter Nin and placing restrictive seals to keep her from escaping.

When Kakashi got to Hinata and Satsuki, Naruto had just dispelled the Hidden Mist Jutsu. Kakashi, Hinata, and Satsuki were all going to interfere when they saw Naruto on the verge of death. Hinata nearly threw up when she watched all of his wounds close and his arm grow back.

"H-H-How can he do that?" Satsuki stuttered as she watched Naruto's body piece itself back together.

"Naruto-kun, what are you?" Hinata whispered as she watched Naruto stand there before the two petrified Missing Nin.

"T-Tsunade-sama can't even regenerate to that extent…" Kakashi watched helplessly as Naruto did the impossible.

As Naruto's swords shot back to his hands, Kakshi felt the slight disturbance in the blonde and ran to the two girls with him. He tackled them to the ground just as Naruto undid his seals. Kakashi took a majority of the shockwave, feeling the energy in the air smother him. Trees, boulders, and water went flying everywhere as bright gold energy whipped around Naruto.

Kakashi watched as black energy erupted straight into the air in a pillar, sending out another shockwave equal in strength to the first. The energy was more sinister than the Nine Tails and made Kakashi fill with fear. Satsuki and Hinata weren't any better. They had tears running down their cheeks and were barely able to breath under the weight of Naruto's newly released power.

Kakashi watched as Naruto floated into the air. Black markings started to stretch all over Naruto's body (The same as the "evil" Naruto from chapter two). The whites of Naruto's eyes turned black as his sea-blue eyes turned unto a burning gold.

"It's time to end this," Kakashi heard Naruto's words, unable to move. All he, Satsuki, and Hinata could do was watch with baited breath as Naruto used a power they have never even heard of before.

 **(Perception Change: Naruto vs. Zabuza vs. Kisame)**

 **(OST- DM Galaxy, Paralyzed)**

Kisame and Zabuza were now only 10 feet from the shore, after getting launched back by the blonde's power. They looked at each other, neither one sure of what exactly was going on. They knew that Naruto would be a tough opponent, but this was insane. The blonde had healed through countless injuries, had a chakra capacity that matched and potentially surpassed Kisame, and now released a power that they didn't recognize.

Naruto floated in the air, 30 feet above the swordsmen. His presence and appearance were absolutely terrifying. Zabuza felt more power from Naruto than he did when the Fourth Mizukage allowed the Three Tails to take over. Kisame was in the same boat. The only person that could stand up to Naruto right now was Pain, and Kisame knew that the Leader of the Akatski was not going to show up here.

Kisame's insticts told him to run, to run and not look back. But before he got the chance to flee, Naruto appeared in front of him.

Naruto slashed, up faster than Kisame could react to. The cut was deep, easily four inches into the Akatsuki member. Naruto then teleported to the side and spun like a top, landing a kick to Kisame's face that sent him flying through the remains of the forest.

Zabuza tried to attack Naruto, only for the blonde to teleport out of the way. Naruto appeared just past the blade and cut Zabuza's arms under the shoulder. He severed all the muscles in the swordsman's arms and kicked him into a large boulder that sat about 50 feet inland.

Zabuza slammed into the boulder, indenting his body into the stone and feeling his ribs shatter and his skull crack. Naruto appeared in front of the Demon and stabbed his swords into Zabuza's hands, keeping them extended. The blonde then opened his palms again and his knives appeared in his hand. They had been cut off when Zabuza landed the first strike.

Naruto stabbed the swordsman through the feet, pinning Zabuza's last two limbs to the rock. Zabuza let out screams of agony as Naruto pinned him there. He looked up to glare at the blonde, but when he met Naurto's eyes, everything went black.

Having incapacitated Zabuza, Naruto went hunting for Kisame.

 **(Perception Change: Kisame)**

The strongest of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was recovering from the last shot he took from Naruto. _Samehada_ had healed most of his injuries, but Kisame still felt some of the cracks in his bones. He was about to flee when he heard the sound of Naruto teleporting.

As Kisame turned around, Naruto grabbed him by the throat, crushing his Trachea and threw him into the air. _Samehada_ went to work immediately, fixing its wielders throat. Kisame didn't have enough time to react as he heard Naruto teleport above him.

Naruto wound up an Axe Kick that connect with Kisame's spine. The swordsman went screaming to the ground, only for Naruto to teleport there first. Naruto punched Kisame before he could reach the ground, knocking out a few teeth and breaking the man's jaw.

As, Kisame flew helplessly through the air, Naruto teleported to him again, this time kicking the wounded missing nin up into the air. Kisame was caught by Naruto while they were 50 feet in the air, and Naruto whipped the man by his ankles, sending him on a one-way trip to the forest floor.

Kisame shattered the ground, leaving a massive crater where he landed. Naruto landed next to him and stopped his foot on the ground. A pillar of rock rose from under Kisame and knocked the missing nin in the air. Naruto wound up a punch, enhancing it with telekinesis, and slammed it right into Kisame's chest, shattering the man's sternum and send him flying like a rocket.

Naruto was about to pursue when his vision blurred. He felt his Aura control slipping as his KI flow stopped. He used the last of his power to teleport back to his team, even though he knew Kisame survived.

 **(Perception Change: Team 7)**

Satsuki, Hinata, and Kakashi could only hear the end of Naruto's fight. The blonde had sent his opponents flying past them as soon as the fight came on land. They found Zabuza pinned to a boulder, barely alive.

They were about to finish the man off when they heard the loudest hit and saw Kisame go flying in the distance. They expected to see Naruto shoot after him, or intercept him in midair, but instead, they heard the sound of Naruto's teleport behind them.

They turned to see a dead-tired Naruto stumble towards them. He didn't have any visible injuries, but they could tell that he was well past his limit. Naruto took a few steps then collapsed into Satsuki's arms. He was panting and his body was well over the normal temperature. He tried to stand, only for his legs to give out and force Satsuki to hold him up.

"Naruto-kun," Satsuki and Hinata said in sync. Both were still in awe of the blonde's power, but his well-being was their top priority.

"Naruto, are you okay?" Kakashi asked while Satsuki and Hinata lowered Naruto to the ground.

"I just over did it. I can't use that power for that long," Naruto said as he began to cough, his body ached like a motherfucker, "Listen to me, I will likely be out for a few days. It will take my body some time to recover. Kisame won't be bothering us anymore, so continue with the mission. Don't bother using Medical Ninjutsu on me, just give me an IV and supplements once we get somewhere we can rest."

Naruto looked at his team again, letting a soft smile settle on his face.

"You two were amazing," Naruto raised a hand to Hinata's cheek, "For you two to hold off six Chunin is remarkable."

The girls looked down at him with sad smiles as tears of relief ran down their cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry," Naruto said as he laughed a bit, "I did this to myself, so now you two are gonna have to finish the mission without me. Give Tazuna some shit for me."

The girls couldn't help but laugh at that. Kakashi knelt down next to Naruto as the blonde looked over at him.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto started, "Don't kill them."

"What?" Kakashi was caught off guard by Naruto's request, "But-"

"No, I could tell that they weren't bad people, they are just in a bad spot. Heal their major injuries but keep seals on them until I wake up, I want to talk to them."

Kakashi looked at Naruto skeptically, but eventually relented.

"I trusted you in the fight, there is no reason for me to doubt you know," Kakashi saw Naruto give a small smile as he thanked him.

"Well guys, it's about naptime…" Everything went black for Naruto.

 **(Perception Change: Kisame)**

The strongest of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen laid in a broken heap on the forest floor. He wasn't sure how many miles away he was launched, but all he hoped was that Naruto wasn't coming by to finish him off. He knew the blonde was going to be a tough opponent, but to have that much raw power made Kismae's skin crawl. _Samehada_ wasn't able to heal him anymore, having consumed all of KIsame's chakra keeping its wielder alive. Kisame could barely move, but heard the ground in front of him shift.

Zetsu poked his head out of the ground, eyeing his fellow Akatsuki member.

"The Hokage's son really did a number on you, huh?" Black Zetsu said, almost mockingly.

"Shut up," Kisame growled, "Get me back to base. Leader-san has to know the threat that brat poses."

"Yes, Kisame-san," Zetsu's white side responded.

 **(Scene Change: Undisclosed Location)**

A heavily wounded Legonian general sat chained to a stone chair, up against the wall. The chair was in the center of the room and the only light was from a torch directly above her. The chains were absorbing her Aura, not allowing her to teleport away, but leaving just enough to keep her conscious. Her skin-tight, white combat uniform as torn and tattered all over. She was covered in her own blood and she was missing many parts of her body. She only had three fingers on her left hand and two on the right. She was missing her left eye, and her blonde hair had many red streaks of dried blood. She had countless broken bones and was on the verge of death. The only reason she was still alive was because her interrogator wasn't finished with her. Tears ran down her face and fear overwhelmed her.

"I don't see why you are making things difficult," Ace said walking out of the shadows in front of her, "If you would just tell me what I want to know, I will put you out of your misery."

The woman tried her best to keep her emotions in check, but she knew the situation was hopeless. This was her first mission as a general in the Legonian Army. She had lost her entire battalion of 3000 in a matter of minutes against her captor. She was the commanding officer of the last advance party and couldn't help but feel like she was being sent to the slaughter after news broke about the previous advance parties.

"Look at me, Haley," Ace said, pulling a knife out from its sheath and pushed up the general's chin with it, "This is your last warning, answer my questions or I will send you back to Liv in bite-sized pieces."

Haley let out a dark chuckle as she looked right into Ace's burning gold eyes.

"I didn't get to my position by being weak, Legion," Haley's words dripped with venom, "My soldiers and I followed our orders like we was supposed to. My only regret is that I won't get to watch you die at their hands."

Haley was cut off by a punch to the stomach, that made her throw up blood.

"That's some big talk," Ace grabbed her hand and slowly cut of the middle finger on her left hand. Haley let out a blood-curdling scream of pain as she tried her best to pull away from the Legion. Ace analyzed the finger a bit before he tossed it at its owner. It landed in the pile of other severed body parts, sitting on Haley's lap.

Haley was breathing heavy as she tried to cope with the pain. She glared at Ace and decided to get a few more jabs in before the Legion ended her. She spit, more blood than saliva, at Ace.

"How many soldiers are in the main force?" Ace asked, "What kinds weapons do they plan on using against me?"

"Fuck you," Ace didn't react, "Just break my mind and take what you want already. You have that gods-forsaken Transcedential power as well as your legacies. You're nothing but a fucking monster! You could've been the greatest weapon ever, but you let your own pride get in the way. I'll tell your family 'Hi,' when I see them in hell!"

Haley was out of breath from the rant, but had an evil grin on her face. Ace hadn't moved the entire time, but she could slowly felt the chains tightening around her. She then felt a chain wrap around the top of her head and fasten it in place.

Ace walked up to her, his golden Oculus burning into her hazel eyes.

"You're foolish if you think I don't know about the mental security measures all Legonian Officers are subjected to. I guess there is nothing else that can be done," Ace leaned over, their faces only a few inches apart, "Allow me to show you what they did to me, then we'll see if you wanna run your mouth."

Ace's Oculus spun (Making the Mangekyo sharingan sound) as Haley's eyes faded. There was a brief silence before Haley let out a throat-shredding series of screeches. Her body convulsed violently, breaking her bones as she struggled against the chains.

With one last scream, Haley's voice died in her throat as her mouth fell open. As life left her, Ace released the chains, letting her corpse fall to the ground.

"So that's what they plan on using against me," Ace said as he looked down on the dead general, "Not bad."

Ace teleported away as the torch went out, leaving the general's corpse alone in darkness.

 **(Time Skip: A Few Days)**

 **(Scene Change: Hokage Office)**

"Hokage-sama, I haven't been able to track him," Minato's eyes narrowed at the ANBU's words, "I would be following him for hours, but then he will just vanish as soon as he leaves my sight line. I'm sorry Hokage-sama."

Anko clenched her fist in anger. She was the village's best tracker and stealth operative, but she had failed with a simple task. Minato was about to respond, but the door opened to show the very man they were talking about and a very nervous Shizune.

"Ace-san, I told you Namikaze-sama is busy right now, you can't just barge in," She was standing between Ace and the door, her arms blocking the doorway. Though her words didn't seem to affect the young man much.

"Ahhh, come on Shizune, don't be like that," Ace said, putting a hand on the woman's shoulder and looking down on her with a small smile. Shizune blushed a bit as their eyes met, giving Ace just the distraction he needed. He slipped under her arm and approached Minato.

"So, Minato," Ace said like nothing was out of the ordinary, "How have thing's been since we last spoke?"

Minato was about to respond when a more important question came to his mind.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Minato said more confused than angry. Anko rose and drew a kunai, positioning herself in between Ace and Minato. Her face was still hidden behind her ANBU mask.

"Aw, come on Anko, no need for such hostilities," Minato, Anko, and Shizune all tensed at Ace's words., "If I wanted to harm anyone here, do you really think I would announce my presence first."

All of the Jonin in the room understood what Ace meant, but still didn't relax. Ace walked towards Minato, only to be cut off by Anko, her kunai still in hand.

"Minato, I just wanted to talk to you about our last conversation. If you could spare a moment," Ace eyed the kunai in the kuniochi's hand.

"Stand down," Minato said calmly, "Snake, Shizune, if you could give us the room."

Anko and Shizune gave a respectful bow to the Hokage, but as Anko passed Ace, the Legion extended an arm, wrapping it around the ANBU's waist and making her fluster behind her mask. Before anyone could question his actions, Ace spoke.

"You know, you didn't have to try and follow me?" Ace said, so close to Anko that she could feel his breath on her neck. "If you wanted to be around me so badly, you could've just asked me out on a date."

Ace gave a playful wink that made Anko's heart skip a beat. She wasn't ready for this situation and wasn't able to prepare for their usual playful banter.

"I'll be at Ichiraku's in an hour, maybe you could meet me there," Ace said that in a husky whisper that made Anko's knees weak for a moment. He then let go of the dazed ANBU, getting an skeptical look from Minato and an oddly jealous look from Shizune.

Anko scurried out of the office quickly, Shizune following behind her.

"You knew she was tailing you all along?" Minato asked.

"People much smarter and more resourceful than you have wanted me dead for years. I've learned to keep an eye out" Ace said calmly.

"So," Minato started as he sat down in his chair. Ace walked up in front of the desk and sat down in one of the chairs facing Minato. Ace put his feet up on the desk, and Minato couldn't help but notice the red stains on the bottom of Ace's boots, "What did you want to talk about?"

Ace smirked, making Minato worry slightly.

"About that favor you owe me…"

 **(Scene Change: The Land of Waves)**

Naruto awoke on a small cot in Tazuna's house. It had been about ten days since he fought against Kisame and Zabuza. His body felt mostly numb, his nerve ends were still fried from the overuse of his Aura and KI. Naruto tried to get up, but was stopped by a diving hug from a blue figure.

As Naruto's vision cleared up, he saw Satsuki clinging to his chest, silent tears flowing down her face. She didn't say anything, but Naruto could feel the worry and fear that she had been holding in get lifted off her shoulders.

Naruto wrapped one arm around Satsuki and placed the other on the back of her head, patting it softly. She hugged him harder, making his entire body shoot in pain as the numbness subsided.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Naruto said softly.

"Baka," Satsuki said softly, burying her face in Naruto's chest.

They sat in silence for a moment before Hinata and Kakashi walked into the room. Hinata ran up to Naruto, forcing Satsuki aside as she hugged the eldest Namikaze-Uzumaki. Satsuki was slightly annoyed, but didn't say anything. Kakashi made a note to tease his Genin later.

"It's good to see you're awake Naruto," Kakashi said with an eye-smile, "I take it you enjoyed the nap."

Naruto chuckled a bit as Hinata let go of him.

"It was rejuvenating to say the least," Naruto smiled a bit, "How has the mission gone?"

Kakashi looked at his sensei's son with a serious look.

"Since your fight with Zabuza, Gato and is gang staged one, last-ditch effort to kill Tazuna, but we took care of the gang, while the villagers captured Gato. Tazuna has about one day left before he finishes the bridge. Many of the villagers saw your fight with Kisame and Zabuza and have brought you gift to show their appreciation," Kakashi's gaze shifted to the many presents, flowers, and cards that filled the room, "Tazuna even said something about naming the bridge after you, but he might have been too drunk to remember."

Naruto let out a chuckle at the thought, then slowly tried to stand. Hinata and Satsuki shot to his side, ready to catch him, but Naruto raised a hand telling them to wait. He slowly got to his feet, his knees wobbling like a Jenga tower.

"Naruto-kun, don't rush this," Hinata pleaded, "You don't need to get up yet. We can bring you whatever you need for right now."

Naruto shook his head.

"There is something I need to do right now."

 **(Scene Change: The Land of Waves Prison)**

Zabuza and Haku were wrapped in sealing paper. Their wounds had been treated for the most part, but the restrictive seals placed all over their body didn't allow them to naturally recover as fast as they normally did. They had been stripped of their weapons and sat in the dark for what must have been close to two weeks, but the worst part was that they couldn't scratch the goddamn itch they had on the tip of their nose for the past two days.

Suddenly, the door opened, blinding both of them. Once their eyes adjusted, Zabuza couldn't help but panic as Haku scrambled to shield her father-figure. Naruto closed the door behind him and gave a small smile as he looked down at his captured adversaries.

"What do you want?" Zabuza growled, "You come here to gloat about your victory?"

Naruto sat down, leaning his back against the closed cell door. He let out a slight chuckle as he coughed a bit.

"You know that was the first time my team got to see me use those abilities," Naruto coughed more violently this time, "My body still isn't used to it. The power floods my system and destroys it at the cellular level. My body has to constantly regenerate the damage, but eventually it gets overwhelmed. I can only use a fraction of that powers full capabilities. If you think I'm bad, shit, you should see the one who taught me…"

Haku and Zabuza were confused by the blonde's friendly nature. Naruto looked over at Haku. She was about two years older than him and quite pretty, even in the dark, dirty cell.

"I hear you are from the Yuki Clan," Naruto raised his hand, forming the Yuki Clan symbol out of ice. Haku and Zabuza's eyes shot open as Haku wanted to ask all the questions that flooded her mind. Naruto beat her to the questions, "Before you ask, no, I'm not a part of the Yuki Clan. I am pretty adept at Ninjutsu, Zabuza-san can vouch for me there."

Zabuza let out a small chuckle.

"Isn't that the understatement of the year," Zabuza said, getting a grin from Naruto.

"I was able to develop the technique on my own, though I eventually got to look through the Yuki Clan's jutsu scrolls and add to my arsenal. I would've loved to test my Hyoton against yours."

Naruto looked down at the snowflake in his hand for a moment.

"So, I heard you guys got caught on the wrong side of the Kiri Civil War," Naruto's words made them flinch, "I know that the current Mizukage isn't too fond of Kekkei Genkai users. I saw the carnage firsthand a few years back."

This got Haku and Zabuza's attention.

"What were you doing in Kiri, kid?" Zabuza asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I wanted to know see the horrors of war with my own eyes. It changes you," Naruto looked down, remembering the countless victims he saw. The mountains of corpses and shallow graves that lined the roads.

"I wanted to make you two an offer," Naruto looked up to see the two Kiri ninja looking back at him, "I know a few people that are high up in the Rebel Forces. I could send you to them so you can fight for your homeland."

Zabuza and Haku nearly jumped at the offer, but there was something that confused them.

"Why would you do that for us? I nearly killed you a few days ago, now you are offering to help me?" Zabzua wanted the offer to be legitimate more than anything, but he didn't understand why the blonde would help them.

"I can tell you have a loyalty to Kiri still. You still wear their headbands, wear their clothes, and wield their weapons. I heard the story of how you tried to end the revolution by attacking Yagura directly. You forced him to release the Three Tails in the fight if the rumors are true," Naruto noticed Zabuza shying away, obviously being reminded of his failure, "There are certain people in the world that deserve a second chance. You aren't monsters, no matter what they think about you in Kiri. You stood for what you believed in Zabuza-san, and you were merely born with an ability that they feared, Haku-san. It is me and my team that you have wronged here, so I think it is within my right to offer you a chance at redemption."

Haku and Zabuza listened, hanging on every word the blonde said.

"I had a good time fighting you Zabuza-san. You tested my swordsmanship and my courage. It's said that you don't truly know someone until you fight them. When I fought you, I saw someone that got the short end of the stick on more than one occasion. You aren't the Demon of the Mist, you were just a normal guy that was gifted with abilities that few could match. You were forced to assume the title that was placed on you and weren't allowed to choose your own path," Naruto's words were sympathetic, shocking the Kiri ninja, "Mei Terumi is the leader of the Kiri Rebellion. She is pretty close with my brother; she and Kiri could use your help."

Zabuza couldn't help but choke up at the offer. He and Haku had bounced around for years, just trying to survive, but to be offered a chance at atonement, they never expected the opportunity.

"Thanks, Naruto," Zabuza said softly as Haku silently cried.

"It's the least I could do. Just do me a favor and don't die. I want to face you again when the time comes," Naruto said as he got up from floor and dusted himself off. Zabuza let out a chuckle.

"I'm not sure I could handle another fight. I barely survived the first one," Zabuza said as he let out a loud laugh.

Naruto walked up to the two Kiri shinobi and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. He released the restrictive seals and the sealing paper fell to the floor. Haku and Zabuza got up and stretched a bit, both of them still feeling their injuries from their fight against Naruto and Kakashi.

Naruto reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper that had Ace's Oculus symbol on it.

"Once you find a rebel camp, give them this and tell them you want to talk to Mei-san. When you meet with her, tell her what happened and that I sent you to reinforce the rebel forces," Naruto opened the door, motioning for them to walk out.

Zabuza and Haku made their way out of the prison. They each grabbed their weapons and belongings that had been confiscated and walked to the exit in silence. They cleaned themselves up and changed their clothes into a spare set of their battle uniforms. They then bought some food and medicine with money Naruto gave them to help on their journey. After an hour or so, they met Naruto, Team 7, and many of the Wave Villagers at the docks. They were going to take a ship to the western-most island in the Land of Water. The villagers didn't look at them with contempt or disgust. Rather, they all wore expressions of respect and understanding, something Haku and Zabuza had never been experienced.

Naruto walked up to them, now wearing an extra pair of his battle clothes. Naruto extended a hand to Zabuza, who gladly took it.

"Take care, Zabuza-san," They broke the handshake, each having a smile and a new respect for the other, "We will meet again, one day."

"I'm sure we will," Zabuza said cheekily, "Don't go off talking about our fight much. I've still got a reputation to uphold."

Naruto smiled as did Zabuza. Both let out a hearty laugh that made them feel the pain from their fight again.

Naruto then moved over to Haku. Rather than shake his hand, Haku pulled him into a hug. She was around the same height as him, so she rested her head on his shoulder for a few moments. Naruto flustered at her actions, still not being the physically affectionate type.

Hinata and Satsuki both had death glares aimed at the Hyoton user, but Haku didn't notice. She broke the hung with Naruto and gave him a deep bow.

"Thank you for everything you have done for us, Naruto-kun," Haku said, still at the bottom of her bow, "I don't know how we could ever repay you."

"Don't worry about it," Naruto said, a smile stretching across his still pink face, "Just make the most out of the opportunities that you have, and we can call it even."

Naruto got a smile out of the Hyoton user, as well as his sensei and team, all of which amazed by the forgiveness and maturity Naruto demonstrated.

Haku and Zabuza made their way onto the ship and the bridge was pulled in after them. The ship set sail shortly after and Naruto watched as the ship made its way into the sunrise, happy with how things ended up.

"So," Naruto started as he turned towards his team, "I am absolutely famished. Have you guys found any resturants while I've been out?"

Hinata was the one to respond.

"Yes, we have. There is a realy good ramen shop just down the road that is has been preparing for you since we told them you woke up," Hinata said in a sugary sweet voice, "And while you are eating, you can explain what the fuck those powers were?"

Satsuki and Kakashi nodded behind the Hyuuga, each of them set on getting answers from the blonde.

Naruto let out a nervous laugh as he knew this conversation would be a doozy.

 **There is the chapter guys. Long, I know, but I felt like it was a fitting adaptation to the first major conflict Naruto faced in the show.**

 **Let me know what you guys thought. We will be starting the MOTHER FUCKING CHUNIN EXAMS next!**

 **If you can't tell, I a a little excited. Shit is gonna get real guys.**

 **You better be ready.**

 **Ace**


	8. Chapter 8: Setting the Stage

**AN: From now on, I will be PMing in response to all reviews. If I feel like there is something important that needs to be discussed or explained, I will make a brief not at the beginning of the chapters. I'm sorry for making you guys wait. Thank you all for the support, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Chapter 8: Setting the Stage**

Team 7 finally arrived at the Hidden Leaf after a few days of travel. Hinata and Satsuki were planning on getting something to eat after their report to the Hokage, which was likely going to be a doozy. They accepted most of what Naruto said, and now understood why he and Ace were so close. They also got a quick rundown of the events that made Naruto leave the village. Naruto didn't tell them about the whole Ace being an alien and there being army of super-aliens that have tracked him to their doorstep, but hey, they didn't ask.

Satsuki and Hinata were amazed by Naruto's strength, but now questioned the limits of Ace. Naruto only said that if they ever see Ace getting ready to fight, that they should run in the opposite direction as fast as they could. For someone as powerful as Naruto to have such a fear for Ace, many questions arose that the girls held in for the moment.

Naruto had politely declined the girls offer to go out and eat, he had gotten a message from Ace, telling him that the Legion was back in Konoha and wanted to go out and eat when the blonde got back. Hinata and Satsuki understood and didn't really question his choice. Their sensei had been very quiet for the past few days.

Ever since Kakashi heard Naruto's explanation of his powers and witnessed the fight between the blonde and two of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kakashi had been trying to put together the enigma that was sensei's son. The sheer power Naruto possessed was ludicrous to begin with, but Naruto also had an analytical mindset in a fight, never tipping his hand until he knew it would give him the edge. Kakashi was easily handled by the blonde, Hiraishin and all, but to see Naruto fight two S-Class missing nin and come back victorious was something he would have to report to Minato. Naruto told Kakashi that he understood the Jonin's responsibility, though he wasn't exactly enthused by his father knowing how strong he was.

As the group made their way to the Hokage's Office, they passed by _Ichiraku Ramen_. Sitting at the bar was Team 11, they had just completed their 40th D-Rank mission and were getting treated to dinner after a day of hard work.

Kushina was about to dig into her ramen when she felt Kakashi's chakra signature behind her. She also felt two smaller chakra signatures that were similar to the Uchiha and Hyuuga signatures she had felt in the past. She wasn't the only one to notice Team 7 either. Narumi was sitting on the other side of Mito and Menma, dressed in black shirt (Like Naruto's in Naruto: The Last) with a Namikaze Clan symbol on her left shoulder and orange shorts that went a few inches down her thighs. She had her sleeves rolled up and wore fingerless gloves. She had her beautiful blonde hair in her usual pigtails. She and her mother were the best sensors the Uzumaki Clan had had since the fall of Uzushiogakure. They also put together that if Team 7 was back, then Naruto would be with them.

Narumi and Kushina shot out of their seats and ran out of the shop to try and catch Naruto before he got too far away. They exited the shop just a step behind Team 7. Narumi's eyes lit up as she saw the messy blonde mop in front of her.

"Nii-chan!" Narumi called out as she closed the distance between her and Naruto.

Naruto turned around just in time to see his youngest sister lunging at him for a hug. Narumi clobbered him in a hug with a massive smile on her face. Though he was still in pain from his fight, Naruto couldn't help but laugh at his sister's antics.

"Calm down, Narumi-chan," Naruto said hugging his sister back, "I wasn't gone that long."

Narumi looked up at him with a cute glare.

"You were gone for a month, Nii-chan," Narumi hugged her brother tighter, giving Naruto a twinge of pain through his still sore body, "Your mission was supposed to be a week or two at the longest. What happened?"

Satsuki and Hinata shared an amused look, curious what their teammate would say. Naruto gave a sheepish chuckle and rubbed the back of his head.

"It's a really long story," Naruto then noticed his mother standing behind his sister, "I'm about to go tell Hokage-sama right now. I'm pretty sure he will tell you guys all about it."

Hinata and Satsuki giggled a bit at the Naruto's words.

"Oh, sorry. Hi, Hinata-chan, Satsuki-chan," Narumi said as she let go of her brother.

The youngest Namikaze-Uzumaki walked up to the girls to make conversation. Kushina took the opening to try and talk with her son.

"Hello, Naruto-kun," Kushina said quietly. Naruto looked right at her with an uninterested expression.

"Hello, Kushina-sama," Naruto said with a respectful bow. He knew the way he addressed his mother likely made her cringe at the formality, but he didn't really care.

Kushina had to keep herself from hugging Naruto. She knew that physical affection from her was the just about the last thing her eldest wanted right now.

"How did you mission go?" Kushina asked.

"It was fine. I'm certain Hokage-sama will tell you if you ask," Naruto gave a respectful bow again as he turned back to his team. He said goodbye to Narumi who gave a cute pout, but eventually said goodbye.

Narumi waved to Team 7 as they walked towards the Hokage Tower. Kushina's eyes watered a bit as she watched her son's form grow smaller. She wiped her eyes quickly as she saw Mito and Menma poke their heads out of _Ichiraku's_ to see what was going on.

Menma was wearing his usual white cloak that copied his father's style. He had an older Chunin vest on over a black shirt. On his legs were black ANBU pants and on his arms, were black gloves with red metal wrapping all over the length of his fist and forearm.

Mito was wearing black spandex shorts and had white ANBU armor over a tight, black, sleeveless shirt. She had her long, red hair down, displaying its beauty and quantity to everyone present. She wore sleeves similar to her brothers, but had white metal wrapping around her arms and the sleeves went all the way up to the middle of her bicep. She had a sword on her back that was a tad bigger than Naruto's.

The two saw Naruto walking in the distance and instantly grew disgruntled. Menma decided to speak up.

"Come on, your food is getting cold," Menma tried to hide his distaste for his brother. Every time Naruto became the topic of conversation, it seemed like he and Mito were the only ones that were angry with how he was treating their parents and god-parents. Him much more than his sister.

Narumi and Kushina walked back into the shop, taking a moment to look back at Naruto one last time.

Menma looked at his brother in the distance and grit his teeth.

 **"Soon…"** Kurama said in Menma's head.

 **(Scene Change: Hokage Office)**

Minato, Jiraya, and Tsunade were currently working on selecting applicants for the upcoming Chunin Exams. This year, Kumo, Suna, Kusa, Oto, and Taki were all participating. The idea of a collective Chunin Exams excited Minato. He had been trying to patch up many of the wounds that decades of fighting had created between the village and finally was able to get Kumo to agree to new treaty talks that would take place during the Chunin Exams. Minato was hoping to have a strong showing this year from all his children and the clan heirs. He knew that all the new Genin Teams would want to get in on the action, so he was trying to get the Exams' schedule set up as quickly as possible.

Tsunade was going over the applicants from Suna, Jiraya was looking over the minor villages, and he was looking over the Kumo applicants. Among them was the team under the Eight Tails Jinchuriki, Killer Bee. Minato had a great respect for A and Bee. He hoped to build a relationship with the two that could help lead their two villages towards a lasting peace.

Minato and the Sanin were pulled from their thoughts as the door opened, revealing Shizune. She was followed by Team 7. Minato immediately stood up, as did Jiraya and Tsunade. They were all happy that the team was back after their unexpectedly long mission. The only word they got from the team was a letter from Kakashi telling them that the team would be waiting until the bridge was completed, which could take around a month. It had been three weeks from that letter, so technically, Team 7 was back ahead of schedule.

Minato smiled as he saw Naruto walk in with the rest of his team and stand in front of him ready for a report. He was curious what skills Naruto and his team displayed on the mission. They were poised to be strong contenders in the upcoming Chunin Exams and just needed a bit of experience under their belts.

Naruto eyed his "family" analytically, trying to decide what he should share and what he shouldn't. His team had agreed to let him tell the story and he would decide what was to be shared and what was to be kept secret.

The Genin and Kakashi all gave a respectful bow to the Hokage and his advisors. Jiraya and Tsunade looked over the team, letting their gaze linger on their godson for a bit.

"Well," Minato started, "It's good to have you four back. I take it things went well."

Naruto and the others shared a look, giving Naruto the nonverbal cue to start the mission report.

"Mission Report," Naruto said almost robotically, "The Bridge-builder, Tazuna, has successfully completed the bridge connecting the Land of Fire to the Land of Waves. The "Great Naruto Bridge" as they called it, is expected to exponentially increase the country's trade potential and should pay for itself within a few months. We have also been given trade terms for your eyes only, Hokage-sama.

Kakashi approached the desk and placed a scroll down. He then fell back into his line-up and spoke.

"Due to the unexpected challenges we faced on this mission, I am asking for this mission to get a bump in rank to S," Kakashi's words shocked everyone that wasn't on Team 7. Tsunade was the first one to speak.

"Why? What happened?" Tsuande's voice was nearly dripping with worry.

Kakashi gave a nod to Satsuki who then stepped forward to continue the report.

"The first opposition we faced were the Demon Brothers, two B-Rank missing nin from Kiri. We dispatched them immediately by catching them off guard. They have been killed and we have proof of elimination," Satsuki reached into her bag and pulled out a storage scroll with the Kajin for Demon Brothers on it. She then fell back into line as Naruto stepped forward.

"The second group of enemies we faced were led by Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Mist, S-Rank missing nin and member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen," Naruto's words stunned the three before him. They all looked like they had been slapped in the face but Naruto fell back into line. Hinata stepped forward.

"Naruto-kun engaged Zabuza-san and forced him away from us and separating him from the seven-other shinobi that were in his party. While Naruto-kun face Zabuza-san, Kakashi fought the strongest of the second group, a young woman by the name of Haku Yuki. She is the lone survivor of the Yuki clan of Kiri and was proficient in Hyoton," Hinata's words continued the trend of shocking the Sanin and Hokage. They knew that blood-line users were hunted like animals in Kiri, so for someone so young to survive was nothing short of a miracle. Kakashi stepped up to recount the fight.

"Haku-san was very skilled in Ninjutsu. She even managed to trap me in her strongest technique, effectively negating the Space-Time effect of the Hiraishin," Minato's eyes widened. It was a scary thing to imagine not just one, but two counters to the Hiraishin now existed. One was in his and Naruto's hands while the other was in a missing nin's, "She was a dangerous opponent, but lacked the drive to kill and the experience to combat me. I allowed her to wear herself out and then decided to subdue her while she was on the verge of chakra exhaustion. Her strongest technique was a dome made completely of ice, separating me from the outside world, and only being venerable from outside interference. The technique was broken when a stray attack from Naruto's battle hit the dome, freeing me and ending Haku's opposition."

Minato, Jiraya, and Tsunade expected nothing less from Kakashi. He was one of Konoha's best. The Jonin then stepped back as Satsuki stepped up and stood next to Hinata.

"While Kakashi combated Haku-san, Hinata-chan and I fought the other six Chunin," Satsuki's words echoed in the room for a moment, "We were able to subdue two of them, but were kept on the defensive against the other four. That is where Naruto-kun comes in."

All eyes shifted to the Hokage's eldest as he stepped forward and his teammates retreated.

"I fought Zabuza using mostly my swords, to start. I wanted to test my skill against one of the best swordsmen in the world," Minato was about to snap at Naruto for being reckless, but Tsunade beat him to it.

"Momochi is one of the most dangerous shinobi in the world!" The last Senju shouted at her godson. Naruto didn't even flinch, "It was reckless and cocky for you to take him on alone."

Naruto looked up at Tsunade, his eyes had a faint gold to them as he stopped holding back his chakra for a few seconds. The floor around him splintered and a vicious wind erupted from him. He aimed his chakra at the three standing in front of him. Tsunade, Minato, and Jiraya had to cover their face in defense.

"You don't know a thing about me," Naruto said, the chakra they all felt sky-rocketed, "Don't even think for a second that you know what I can and can't do."

Naruto calmed down, restricting his chakra and taking a deep breath. The tension in the room dropped noticeably as the adults decided that they should just let Naruto speak, for now.

"Anyways, I had the upper hand on Zabuza for a while. I learned in the fight that he is called the Demon of the Mist because the more damage he takes and the closer to death he gets, the stronger he becomes."

Tsunade was still trying to recover from Naruto snapping at her, but Minato and Jiraya thought about what Naruto said. They had both heard stories of the Demon of the Mist and cringed at the thought of Naruto facing him alone.

"I would have ended the fight sooner, but we had an unexpected interference," Minato looked up at Naruto and noticed the blonde was pulling something out of his pocket.

Naruto walked forward and pulled out some of the shards that had broken off _Samehada_ and placed them on the desk. The eyes of the Sanin and Hokage immediately went wide as they looked up at the blonde, recognizing the shards.

"Kisame Hoshigaki was apparently watching our fight and wanted to take part in it, so he attacked me and Zabuza, making the fight raise in scale. He said that he wanted Zabuza to join his group but Momochi declined. We began to incorporate ninjustsu, but Kisame had a near infinite amount of chakra," Naruto looked down at his hand. He decided to display the power that kept him alive.

"I would've died many times if not for a power that I picked up," Naruto's words confused Minato and his godparents. Taking that as a cue, Naruto pulled out a knife.

Team 7 looked away, knowing where Naruto was going with this, but Tsunade, Jiraya, and Minato didn't. Naruto pulled his sleeve back and cut along his veins in his wrist. Tsunade ran up to him, keen on stopping the bleeding, but Naruto pushed her away. His then showed his wrist to everyone, just in time for them to see the wound steam and close.

Tsunade backed away in shock, her hands trembling. Jiraya was slack-jawed and Minato was wide-eyed.

"H-how?" Tsunade asked desperately. Only the Senju could heal like that, but they had to use the _Mitotic Regeneration_ , which shortened their life span. Naruto turned to the Senju and gave her and glared at her.

"It's not your family's technique, so don't worry about it," Naruto then put his blade away and got a towel out of his bag to wipe down his arm. The Sanin and Hokage just watched in a mixture of awe, horror, and confusion as Naruto cleaned up leftover blood.

"That ability was the thing that kept me alive in my fight with Zabuza and Kisame. I underestimated Zabuza and allowed him to get a few shots in. That ability isn't something I like to rely on. I still feel the pain of whatever injury I take, but that is nothing compared to the healing," Naruto looked up at his father, ignoring the two Sanin. He was curious about how his father would react.

"What are the limits of it?" Minato seemed scared to find out the answer, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"I can completely regrow limbs and organs," Naruto's words were blunt, but Minato, Jiraya, and Tsunade could barely fathom what they were hearing.

"Eventually, the two of them realized that they would have to deal with me first if either of them wanted to survive the fight, so they shifted their focus solely onto me," Naruto rolled his shoulder, letting out a few pops and groaned a bit.

"They forced me to my limit. Zabuza cut off my right arm and Kisame shattered my collarbone along with a few ribs in their assault. I had to release the other power I have in my body to deal with them," Naruto waited for the question.

"What power?" Jiraya almost whispered.

Naruto extended each arm. In his right was a small ball of **KI** and in his left was a small ball of **Aura**.

"The black one is called **KI**. It is the counterpart to the other, which is called **Aura** ," Naruto dispersed the energy and put his arms down.

"I've never heard of that power," Minato said as calmly as possible.

"That's because no one in history has ever been able to access it," Naruto said darkly, not wanting to give any hints about his power.

Minato, Jiraya, and Tsunade all had a chill run down their spine as a horrific potential crossed their mind. Minato tried to question Naruto a bit more.

"Is the regenerative factor the only ability that power gives you?" Naruto just shook his head, making Minato take a deep breath to try and calm himself.

"I have to limit the amount of **Aura** and **KI** I use. My body can't handle great amounts of it. I am still feeling the side effects of overexertion a few weeks after the fight," Naruto stretched a bit, feeling the aches in his body.

"So, what happened to Zabuza and Kisame?" Tsunade asked, almost certain she already knew that answer.

"I pinned Zabuza to a boulder, while I dealt with Kisame. The latter was in pretty bad shape when I was done with him. I know he is still alive. I reached my limit before I could finish him off. He won't be a problem for now," Naruto looked at the stunned expression on the Sanin's face. Kisame Hoshigaki was on the level of a Biju when it came to chakra levels. For Naruto to defeat him as well as another dangerous opponent was a terrifying thought. Naruto was surprised by how calm his father was, at least on the outside.

"When Kisame showed up, the shinobi facing Hinata-chan and Suki-chan ran. They feared what might happen if they got caught up in the fight. When everything was said and done I talked to Haku-chan and Zabuza to figure out what they would do," Naruto again confused the Sanin and Minato, "I gave them the option to return home and fight for the rebel leader, Mei Terumi. Ace and I met her while we traveled. They graciously accepted and should be there now. They won't be an issue anymore."

Minato was surprised at the mercy his son showed. It was very non-shinobi-like to have such compassion for one's enemies.

"Why did you spare them, Naruto?" Minato asked.

"People aren't always what we make them out as," Naruto thought about Ace and how he was seen as a monster by his people for simply being born with a power they feared, "Just because we think that someone is a monster or demon, doesn't mean we are right. That completes our mission report."

Naruto's words echoed for a bit before he stepped back. Naruto then made his way to the exit, his team followed him, but gave the Hokage and Sanin a small bow before leaving.

The Sanin and Hokage sat in silence for a few moments. Minato had been gripping his desk from the moment Naruto left. His grip was so strong that his fingers indented into the wood. Jiraya was trembling in fear, his mind moving a thousand miles a minute. Tsuande was just as shaken.

"Mi-Minato-kun," Jiraya stuttered out, "Th-that couldn't mean…"

Tsunade let out a tear as she thought about how bad things could get in the near future.

Minato only gripped his desk harder, knowing that everything they did very well might be for not.

 **(Scene Change: Yakiniku Q)**

Ace was sitting in the back corner of the store with a cup of water in front of him. As soon as Naruto entered the village, Ace left their apartment. Ace wanted to talk to Naruto about a number of things, but he had to choose his words carefully. He thought long and hard about how this conversation might end up, but he knew that he had no choice. He needed to tell Naruto about what was after him. He was pulled from his thoughts when he saw Team 10 walk in with their sensei, Asuma.

Ace watched the group interact for a few minutes, a bit envious of the relatively normal life they had. The team noticed Ace in the corner. Ino waved with Choji while Shikimaru gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. Ace raised his glass with a smile. It was at that time that Mito Namikaze-Uzumaki was walking past the restaurant. She saw Ace in the store and said something to her family.

The rest of Team 11 continued on their path, while Mito walked into the store. She walked past Team 10 and went right up to Ace's table. She stood over the Legion for a moment before taking the seat across from him.

Ace couldn't help but smirk. He figured it was only a matter of time before one of the Triplets decided to confront him. He took a sip of his water and cleared his throat.

"Well, I would like to say this is unexpected, but I figured your curiosity would eventually get the better of you," Ace smirked at the red-head. Mito looked at him with calm, analytical eyes, "You know you may look just like your mother, but you have your father's mind."

"Don't talk about my family," Mito said assertively. Ace chuckled at the girl's actions.

"Then what do you want to talk about?" Ace closed his eyes and crossed his arms.

Mito looked Ace over, noticing his lack of weapons and extremely calm demeanor.

"Who are you? And what do you want with my brother?" Mito questioned.

Ace cracked an eye.

"I'm Ace Jaeger," Ace extended a hand to her, "It's nice to finally meet you, Mito."

Mito didn't take Ace's hand, or respond to Ace's statement. She was waiting for the second answer. Ace let out a sigh.

"I guess your parents didn't bother with teaching manners," Mito now glared at Ace, "Mine and Naruto's relationship is nothing for you to concern yourself with. I would recommend that you figure out you own relationship with Naruto before you inquire about mine."

Ace's eye burned right into Mito's but the red-head was undeterred. Mito stared down Ace and leaned forward.

"I know you have a separate agenda," Mito stated, her eyes turning red from the Kyubi chakra entering her system, "I am warning you now, if you do anything to endanger my family or this village, I will kill you myself."

Ace smirk grew as he opened his eyes completely.

"You are more than welcome to try," Ace's eyes shifted to his Oculus form and Mito's eyes turned crimson, as he raised his elbows on top of the table, then crossed his hands in front of his face, "I wonder what your mother would do if she loses another child."

Mito grit her teeth as Ace smirked darkly. He then leaned back in his seat.

"Now piss off," Ace said dismissively, "The one I was waiting for is here."

Mito clenched her fists for a moment, comtemplating attacking Ace for a moment, then got out of the booth and made her way to the exit. Halfway to the exit she passed by Naruto. Her older brother grabbed her arm as she walked by, stopping her and lowering his head so he could whisper something to her.

"You were always smarter than the other two," Naruto whispered, "Now is not the time to be foolish. He is not someone you want to make an enemy out of."

Mito grit her teeth again and yanked her arm from her brother's grip. She looked right up at him.

"He's not your family," Mito's words were laced with venom, "You've already left once, I won't let you leave again."

Mito then walked out of the restaurant. Naruto sighed and sat down in the spot his sister had recently vacated.

"Well, that could be a problem," Naruto said as he flagged down a waitress, "If she tries to turn the village against you, things could get messy."

Ace chuckled a bit.

"We both came here ready for the worst possible outcome," Ace said, "I would say things have been going a lot better than we expected so far."

Naruto couldn't help but laugh. He and Ace were ready to kill everyone in the village if it came to that, but deep down, Naruto was glad that it didn't come to that. It was only a handful of people that had wronged him. That was no reason to purge the entire village.

"So, how did the first mission go?" Ace asked, changing the subject.

"Don't act like you didn't feel me use your power," Naruto said with a grin. Ace chuckled a bit.

"I did," Ace stated, "Which means they likely did too. Did things get that bad already?"

"I faced Kisame Hoshigaki and Zabuza Momochi," Naruto said sheepishly.

"Enough said," Ace smirked as the waiter put Naruto's water in front of him, "You never did like sword fights."

Naruto growled a bit at his "brother" before he took a sip from his water.

"How did they take it?" Ace asked, wondering about Naruto's teammates.

"About as well as I expected. They were in disbelief at first, but I mean who wouldn't be," Naruto said offhandedly, "I told them a bit about you, but kept that to a minimum."

"I trust your judgement," Ace said softly.

The two sat in silence for a bit, Naruto scared to ask Ace how things went on his end.

"Naruto," Ace said softly.

"Y-yes?" The blonde responded.

"It's worse than I thought," Ace paused for a moment, "Their attack force is massive and they have three people that are on par with me. I'm not sure I can win."

Naruto didn't respond. He knew that things were grim with Ace, but he had never seen Ace like this. Ace was more powerful than anyone the Elemental Nations had ever seen. He had never doubted his ability before, but now Naruto saw a worried expression from his "brother" that he had never seen before.

"I think it is best if I leave," Ace's words echoed for a moment.

"What?" Naruto shouted, "That's out of the question. You said that you wouldn't do things alone anymore!"

Thankfully the restaurant was packed now, their conversation not interesting anyone else present.

"Naruto," Ace started, "I never expected this. Any one of the three Captains they sent after me could take on all of the Leaf's forces. I won't let innocents die in my stead anymore."

"Then do something to prevent it," Naruto yelled, "Don't run. You said you were done running. You have always found a way to win before, you will do it again."

"Naruto, if I want any chance of winning this, I am going to have to go all-out. I can't completely control myself when I get to that point. Too many people live here, I can't put all of them at risk," Ace seemed desperate now.

"And what if they come after me," Naruto's words shocked Ace, but then he realized that might be a possibility, "You trained me to use your powers so I can accomplish my dreams. If you die, they will come here and kill me and everyone around me anyways. You should make your stand here. Finish setting up your defenses, then when the time comes trust them to hold while you deal with those bastards. If there is anyone that can face them, it's you."

Ace took a deep breath, looking down at his water. He thought hard about what Naruto said. An internal war raged over what he should do. The last thought he had echoed in his mind. He knew Naruto didn't completely understand the scale of the threat, but he couldn't just abandon the blonde with the Captains potentally able to track him down.

 _I won't let them take anyone else…_

"Okay, Naruto," Naruto's face brightened at Ace's words, "When the time comes, you and everyone else will do exactly what I say, or I will force you to. I have some things I need to set up around the village now."

Naruto smiled brightly at his "brother".

"Just out of curiosity, what are you up against?" Naruto asked, as he took a sip from his cup.

"Three Legions and 125 thousand soldiers," Those words made Naruto have one of the greatest spit takes in the history of the Elemental Nations.


End file.
